Palace: De Lima decides on Arroyo overseas treatment

At least for now, Malacañang is giving Justice Secretary Leila de Lima a free hand in deciding whether to allow issue former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo go abroad to seek medical treatment. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte stressed this on Saturday even as she said the Palace is aware of questions about Arroyo’s request to go abroad. “At this point we will leave the matter of the issuance of the Allow Departure Order to Secretary De Lima," Valte said on government-run dzRB radio. She said that as far as Malacañang is concerned, the primary purpose of Arroyo’s request to go abroad is still to seek medical treatment for her neck spine problems. For now, she said Health Secretary Enrique Ona is helping De Lima analyze Arroyo’s medical abstract to see if there is basis for Arroyo to seek medical treatment abroad. “Hindi tayo duktor, it’s better to get the opinion of someone who is," she said. On the other hand, Valte said she is not aware of any personal request made by Arroyo to President Benigno Aquino III to allow her to leave. She said her latest check with the office of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. indicated there was no letter forwarded to his office. Earlier reports indicated Arroyo had written Aquino a personal letter, appealing that she be allowed to seek medical treatment abroad on the promise that she would return. Last Oct. 19, Arroyo obtained permission from the House of Representatives to travel to Singapore, Spain, Germany, Italy and the United States from October 22 to December. She plans to seek treatment for “hypoparathyroidism," a condition caused by lack of calcium production in the body, which has aggravated her health condition. The reports said Arroyo is to be accompanied by her husband Jose Miguel Arroyo, her security aide, and a private nurse. But on Friday, De Lima said Arroyo will have to spend All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days in the Philippines as the Justice Department is not likely to decide on her request until next week. — LBG, GMA News