De Lima seeks DOH help in deciding on Arroyo travel plea

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Friday she will seek the opinion of Health Secretary Enrique Ona before deciding on the request of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to leave the Philippines for a medical treatment abroad. In a text message to reporters, De Lima said she will send to Ona the medical abstract provided by Mrs. Arroyo as a requirement for the former Philippine leader's application of an Allow Departure Order. Mrs. Arroyo needs to secure an ADO before she can be allowed to seek treatment abroad because she is currently the subject of at least two watch list orders. One is in connection with the three plunder case filed against her which is set to expire on November 5, and another one in connection with an electoral sabotage case which will expire on December 27. De Lima said she also wanted Ona to "personally" examine Mrs. Arroyo's current health condition to determine if it would really be best for the former president to be sent abroad. The former Philippine leader underwent a series of surgeries two months ago for a pinched nerve in her neck — a condition known as "multilevel cervical spondylosis radiculopathy with kyphosis"— which her attending physicians at the St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City said could lead to paralysis if not treated immediately. Earlier, De Lima said she wanted a government doctor to examine Mrs. Arroyo, who now represents Pampanga's second district in the House of Representatives. Mrs. Arroyo is among 40 individuals placed on the Immigration watch list on Thursday for allegedly participating in poll fraud in Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and South Cotabato during the 2007 mid-term elections. House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. recently approved an amended request made by Mrs. Arroyo to travel to the United States, Germany, and Switzerland. Belmonte earlier approved a previous request but the approval had already lapsed, prompting Mrs. Arroyo's camp to renew the request. De Lima said she would be considering issues on extradition treaties in deciding on Mrs. Arroyo's request, amid fears expressed by Arroyo critics that the former Philippine leader might travel to a country not covered by an extradition agreement with the Philippines and never come back to face cases against her. — Mark Merueñas/RSJ, GMA News