DOJ verifies Arroyo's alleged plan

Department of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima disclosed the information about her receiving a "tip" saying former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is planing to have a political asylum abroad, and have no plans of returning to the country.

De Lima said that according to the information, Arroyo is considering to get a permanent resident status in Dominican Republic which will cost her around $10 million to $30 million. "We are verifying the information. This is something we can't ignore," De Lima added. Any information which is becoming the basis for doubt on the true agenda for the travel would be coursed through the DFA, according to the Justice secretary.

Furthermore, De Lima believes that "Anything is possible. They can always do that (seek asylum). What if our suspicion turns out to be true, that this (medical issue) is just a spectacle really to have shield for their actual intention of evading these cases?"

On the other hand, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said, "The President has stated the circumstances by which the request was denied. The travel authority granted by Congress mentioned six nations and then the travel authority request (relayed to the) Department of Justice mentioned three without ever mentioning the specialists, the doctors of her choice," he said. "So this adds up to all these concerns of: is she going abroad to be treated? Or is there any other reason why she is going abroad? And for that reason, the President squarely addressed that issue of medical treatment by offering the doctors to fly over. And so, having rejected it, again, one wonders: what is their real reason for traveling abroad."

He said, "If they say and as they have emphasized very strongly that it is a medical concern, then we have addressed that and having refused that, the issue is: what's the real reason for traveling abroad?"

Lacierda added, "That's the issue here, they want to travel because they are looking for specialists. Okay, so what was our solution? Don't travel anymore, we will help you. Just tell us who your specialists are and we will bring them here in the Philippines. Why are they rejecting it? We thought the reason to travel was to seek medical treatment. Isn't it that we answered that squarely? That issue was answered squarely by the President: we will bring in the specialists of your choice. And so, it primarily addresses the issue of (seeking) medical treatment." — ARA