Imelda asks court to allow her to travel to Hong Kong

Former First Lady Imelda Marcos asked a Manila City court the other day to allow her to travel to Hong Kong to seek medical treatment for her ailments — including a recurring dry cough and a knee problem.

Marcos, through her lawyer Robert Sison, filed an urgent motion for leave to travel abroad before Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. of Branch 26 of the Manila City regional trial court.

The court is handling the 32 criminal cases against Marcos that allegedly involve P220 billion in ill-gotten wealth.

In February, Pampilo granted an earlier request for Marcos to go to Hong Kong to seek alternative medicine treatments, but the former first lady canceled her trip and instead visited her home province of Leyte, where thousands of people were buried in a landslide in Barangay Guinsaugon in the municipality of St. Bernard.

"Very recently, accused Marcos, who is 77 years old, has been encountering severe pain in her hips. Her knee problem still bothers her," the petition reads. "Accused Marcos has again consulted Dr. Anastacio about this and the latter provided medical help."

Dr. Roalito Anastacio, Marcos’ physician, said she could already be immune to western medicines, such as antibiotics, which she has been taking for several years.

Anastacio has recommended that Marcos try alternative medicine, which is widely practiced in Hong Kong.

He said they already made inquiries and that Marcos is scheduled to meet with and seek the medical opinion of Dr. Yau Ting Fuk at no. 77 Namwai Village Saikung, N.T. Hong Kong. The schedule has been set from Sept. 5 to Oct. 5.

Mrs. Marcos hopes that the court will grant her motion since, under the 1987 Constitution, her right to travel cannot be impaired unless such travel jeopardizes national security.

Sison said "the travel of herein accused abroad, particularly to Hong Kong for medical reasons, if allowed, will not have any impact on the country’s concerns for national security, public safety and public health."

He also said Marcos has no intention of escaping from the criminal cases lodged against her in court by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

"She has left the country several times in the past and has returned in compliance with the terms and conditions of her permit to travel abroad," he said.

Sison added that they posted sufficient bonds for Marcos’ provisional liberty in the past and that she is willing to comply with all the conditions set by the court.

Yesterday afternoon, Pampilo said they were supposed to hold a hearing on the motion. However, they had to cancel the hearing on Marcos’ petition because it coincided with another hearing before the Sandiganbayan.

Pampilo has given the DOJ and the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) three days to submit their comment: "I expect to receive their comment on Monday next week or Sept. 4 and I might issue an order the following day."