The Philippine Online Chronicles

President Benigno Aquino III said in a press conference today that he supports the Department of Justice's rejection of former President and Pampanga representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's petition to travel abroad for medical treatment.

She is also currently facing several cases of plunder and electoral sabotoge.

"If she decides not to return, how can we make her return?" Aquino asked.

He pointed out that Arroyo could seek treatment for her medical concerns in the country, and added that the government is willing to bring in doctors from abroad to check her condition.

GMA News also cites Philippine Medical Association (PMA) Board of Governor for Manila orthopedic surgeon Dr. Leo Olarte who points out that there are many bone specialists in the country who could treat Arroyo's ailment.

“There’s no problem with that. I can provide them with a list. They really cannot say that we don’t have experts here,” he said.

Allow-departure order denied

Earlier, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima issued an order barring Arroyo from travelling abroad, saying, “My order is a denial of the request for an allow-departure order (ADO).”

De Lima cited Health Secretary Enrique Ona's assessment of Arroyo's condition that “there is no compelling or immediate necessity to seek treatment abroad.”

“Between national interest and one’s constitutional rights, which is more important? It’s certainly the interest of the state,” she said.

De Lima also pointed out that there were “changes” in the list of countries Arroyo said she would seek treatment in. The countries previously listed were United States, Singapore, Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

In a letter to De Lima on November 2 however, Arroyo's camp said the former president would be seeking medical consultations in Singapore, Germany and Spain, countries which De Lima said have no existing extradition treaties with the Philippines.

“If her condition is that bad, why go to several destinations? That ambivalence on their part with respect to the specifications of countries of destination casts certain doubts,” De Lima said.