MANILA, Philippines - Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband will try to leave the country on Thursday, postponing an earlier plan after the congresswoman's blood pressure went up today.
Atty. Raul Lambino, one of Mrs. Arroyo's lawyers, said that Mrs. Arroyo was supposed to take a 5 p.m. flight out of the country today, but it was deferred to tomorrow because of her current condition.
Lambino said Mrs. Arroyo's blood pressure went up due to stress after the incident at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last night.
Elena Bautista-Horn, a spokesperson of Mrs. Arroyo, earlier said that they will push through their plan to leave the country despite last night's incident.
"There's no legal impediment now that they are given the TRO (temporary restraining order) copies unless the DOJ (Department of Justice) has its own Constitution," Horn said in a radio interview this morning.
In a separate interview, Mr. Arroyo's lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, said that the DOJ's receipt of the TRO makes the legal document official. He also said that his client will "return to the airport" anytime today.
Horn said they will no longer coordinate with airport authorities since immigration officials have not accorded the proper courtesy to former President Arroyo last night.
"Hindi na kami makikipag coordinate sa kanila kasi hindi rin naman nila ina-accord ang proper courtesy to a former President. She is a congresswoman now pero kung pinag dadamot nila ang paggamit ng dignitaries' lounge sa kanya, sa kanila na lang 'yun," Horn said.
The Arroyo couple tried, but failed to board a plane bound for Hong Kong last night. The Arroyos were supposed to take a connecting flight in Hong Kong to Singapore.
The Arroyos booked flights bound for Singapore hours after the Supreme Court issued a TRO, halting the watchlist orders issued by the DOJ against the former president and her husband.
Before the Arroyo couple arrived at the airport, De Lima issued directives to the Bureau of Internal Revenue and asked the Department of Transportation and Communications to order airport officials to avert the flight plan of the Arroyos.
Meeting specialist in Singapore
Horn said that they have an appointment with a specialist in Singapore on November 17 (Thursday) at 12:15 p.m. She said the specialist will check on Mrs. Arroyo's hypoparathyroidism.
She said last night that from Singapore, the Arroyo couple was supposed to leave for Spain, where Mrs. Arroyo will meet with a bone marrow disorder specialist.
She said that the Arroyo entourage's last country of destination will be Germany on November 27. She also cited that the House of Representatives has allowed Mrs. Arroyo to stay abroad until December 5 for her medical treatment.
Horn said they are hopeful to return to and spend Christmas in the Philippines as soon as the medical treatment is completed. "We are praying na ma-diagnose sa kanya (Mrs. Arroyo) na hindi sana komplikado," she added.
Mrs. Arroyo and her husband Miguel "Mike" Arroyo have been charged with electoral sabotage before the Department of Justice (DOJ), which prompted the issuance of the watchlist order against them.
The Arroyo couple are also separately facing plunder complaints at the DOJ and the Office of the Ombudsman.
Defiance
SC spokesman Midas Marquez said during a television interview that a copy of the TRO was received by the DOJ this morning. Reports said that DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima received that copy at past 8 a.m.
Marquez said that De Lima directive yesterday, "seems to be a defiance" of a direct order by the Supreme Court. He said that those who defy an order by the high court can be held in direct contempt of court.
Quoting the TRO issued by the high court yesterday, he said that "This order is effective immediately and continuing until further orders from this court."
He added: "There is no need for interpretation. It's as clear as a sunny day; only application should be done."
Informed of the Arroyos' plan to go to the airport and attempt again to leave the country today, the high court's spokesman said that they will "see if they will defy it (TRO) again."
He said that under the rules of the court, those who will defy the SC's order can be held in direct contempt of court and may be punished with up to six months of imprisonment or ordered to pay a fine of not more than P30,000.
"I'm calling executive officials, especially those who have received copies of the TRO to implement the order," he said.
Watchlist order stays
Despite threats of charges and contempt, De Lima told media in a brief talk early today that the watchlist order against the Arroyo couple remains in effect.
"My directive stays," De Lima said, referring to her order to immigration and airport officials to prevent the Arroyos from leaving the country.
She also asked the camp of the former first couple not to file charges against immigration and airport officials. She said that she should be the only one sued for preventing the Arroyos from leaving.
"I'm taking full responsibility. The immigration officers were only complying with my directive," she said.
The Office of the Solicitor General, which has also receive a copy of the TRO, filed this morning an urgent motion for reconsideration asking the SC to defer the issuance of the TRO.
She said that the government stands by its earlier position that the SC must decide on its motion for reconsideration first before deciding on the Arroyo couple's petition for TRO against the watchlist order and the DOJ's Circular No. 41.
De Lima said in the interview with media that reading from the dissenting opinions of the five justices on the issuance of the TRO, "the propriety of the TRO deserves a second hard look."
Lawyer reiterates, Arroyos will return
In announcing her order to bar the Arroyos from leaving despite the SC’s TRO, De Lima reiterated Malacañang’s suspicion about the real motive behind the former president’s plan to immediately leave the country.
De Lima said that she was not convinced that the requirements set by the SC for Arroyo’s travel abroad are effective guarantees that she will return to the country.
Marquez, for his part, reiterated that there are several remedies to make sure that the Arroyos will return to the country to face the electoral and plunder complaints that have been filed against them.
He said that government embassies and consulates can locate the Arroyos. He added that the government can also ask the Interpol to help in locating the couple in case they try to flee.
“Marami pa namang remedy. Cancellation of passports; puwedeng tumawag sa Interpol. The world has become so small with the internet and all these things. Hindi naman sila makakapagtago ng habambuhay,” he added.
Marquez said that the possibility of the Arroyos hiding abroad was considered during the high court’s deliberation for the issuance of the TRO yesterday. He said that majority of the justices agreed that there are several remedies to prevent the Arroyos from not returning to the country.
Topacio, for his part, said that he was sure that the Arroyos will return to the country after their medical treatment abroad.
“There is the matter of personal pride,” he said, adding that the Arroyo couple would not be able to resist not seeing their children and grandchildren, who are all staying in the country.
The lawyer even joked during the television interview that he will have his "egg" removed if the Arroyos fail to return after their medical treatment abroad.
Mrs. Arroyo is currently at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig, where she was transported to after being barred from taking her flight to Hong Kong last night. -- Dennis Carcamo and Angelo L. Gutierrez