Mike Arroyo denies ‘fleeing’ from Senate probe on chopper mess

The camp of Jose Miguel “Mike" T. Arroyo, the husband of former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, issued a press statement on Thursday denying he was “fleeing from the helicopter controversy and [that] he does not intend to attend the Senate hearings." The statement recounted that Arroyo had left for Hong Kong on July 31 via Cathay Pacific Flight CX918 to undergo a series of medical examinations there. But it also stressed that “[h]e really intends to return to the Philippines to join his family and address the issues as soon as his doctors allow him," adding that he was “not in hiding and there is no reason for him to do so." Arroyo’s camp explained that his consultation with and treatment by his doctors/specialists in Hong Kong should not be considered as an act of “fleeing" especially since Mr. Arroyo has not yet been invited or subpoenaed by the Senate. The statement reiterated that “[a]t the time of his trip to Hong Kong, there was no legal prohibition for him to travel abroad." Arroyo’s constitutional rights Arroyo, in the statement, “insists that the helicopters are not his and he is very much inclined on filing the appropriate criminal charges against Mr. Po for his false and baseless accusations." It also alleged that: “The self-serving statement of Mr. Po is weak and will not even stand in court." It further alleged that “Mr. Po is the one who has every motive to drag Mr. Arroyo in the controversy to save Mr. Po from any liability on the possible criminal acts he committed against the government." It pointed out that under the Constitution “the Senate can only carry out inquiries in aid of legislation." The statement lamented how “it is very unfortunate that Mr. Arroyo’s constitutional rights, such as the right to due process and the right to be presumed innocent are being violated in this trial by publicity." The statement concluded by saying that, “To conduct an investigation to determine Mr. Arroyo’s guilt or innocence in the helicopter issues is one that, we believe, is in the nature of a prosecutorial investigation." — MRT/VS, GMA News