DOJ orders probe on Mike Arroyo's 'unusual' departure

(Updated 4:11 p.m.) Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Friday said former First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo did not go through the usual departure process when he left for Hong Kong over the weekend. De Lima said she has instructed Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David to look into the matter. In a text message to reporters, De Lima said the BI has verified that Mr. Arroyo indeed left the country last Sunday via a Cathay Pacific flight. However, his departure records were supposedly facilitated by somebody else. "It appears that he did not pass through Immigration. Somebody facilitated the processing of his documents. I directed Commissioner David to investigate the matter," De Lima said. As of posting time, GMA News Online is still trying to reach Mr. Arroyo's lawyers, Ruy Rondain and Innocencio Ferrer Jr., for comment. Mr. Arroyo's camp has vowed that the former First Gentleman will return to the country on Monday. Misspelled But in an interview with reporters later in the day, De Lima said the BI told her that the name "Jose Miguel Aroyo" appeared in their database. De Lima then questioned the misspellng of the name should the "Jose Miguel Aroyo" turn out to be the former First Gentleman. "Mukhang ang pagkaka-record ay erroneous. Eh lalo nang high profile yan, bakit siya nagkakamali? Kung saka-sakali, dapat imbestigahan pa rin and let's wait for the results of the investigation," De Lima maintained. The question on the existence of Mr. Arroyo's departure records was raised last Thursday, when the DOJ placed Mr. Arroyo on the watch list even if he is already abroad receiving medical treatment. Before issuing the watch list order, De Lima said the BI had no record of Mr. Arroyo's departure. She added that she has inquired with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), which records chartered and non-commercial flights, if it has information on Mr. Arroyo's departure. De Lima said the issuance of the watch list order against Mr. Arroyo will not be rendered useless because once the former First Gentleman returns to the Philippines, Immigration authorities are tasked to report to the DOJ that he is back in the country. The DOJ will then inform the Senate blue ribbon committee, which requested the issuance of the order, of Mr. Arroyo's return. Also placed on the watch list is Rowena del Rosario, Mr. Arroyo's alleged secretary. The name "Rowena del Rosario" appears in the incorporation papers of La Vista Investment Holdings, Inc., a company declared in former President Arroyo's Statements of Assets Liabilities and Networth (SALNs) in 2008 and 2009. An individual placed on the Immigration watch list must first ask the DOJ to lift the order before he or she can travel abroad. The person must also present the government-issued clearance before leaving the country. It is less restrictive than a hold departure order, which automatically bars an individual from leaving the country. — RSJ/MRT, GMA News