Palace can't allow Arroyos to leave country yet

Malacañang on Tuesday said it will not allow former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to leave the country until it receives the official copy of the Supreme Court decision stopping the implementation of the watch list order against the former president. “As far as the government is concerned, until we have received the official copy of the SC interlocutory order, we cannot allow any exit," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing. He said it is the same reason the Office of the Solicitor General cannot file yet a motion for reconsideration or motion to lift the temporary restraining order regarding the SC decision. Lacierda said they received information about the high court’s decision, which he said was a setback to the Aquino administration, only through the media. He said it was "unfortunate" that the order was given even before the oral argument on the matter. “Yes, it is unfortunate. We’re hoping we’ll be given an opportunity to have an oral argument before the SC prior to the issuance of a TRO. Apparently this was not taken into consideration by SC hence the order was issued," he said. When asked if he thinks the TRO was issued in haste, Lacierda said, “I wouldn’t want to venture as to whether it was issued hastily or otherwise but that was part of their procedure." Lacierda also refused to put malice on the supposed political alignments of the justices, who are mostly Arroyo appointees. “I wouldn’t want to speculate or comment on whether the votes were made according to certain lines. We don’t want to judge them based on that. That is something that I would hold judgment from," he said. He expressed confidence that the government lawyers will be able to defend their position on the matter. “We are prepared to defend our position before the SC in the oral argument so we would hope to convince the other members of SC of the strength of our case." On the criticisms that the Aquino administration was slow in filing cases against the Arroyos, who are accused of masterminding the supposed cheating in the 2007 elections, Lacierda said they were just observing due process. “I think we're observing due process, that's the hallmark of bill of rights," he said. “We have to observe due process, we have to give process to anyone concerned and so if you wanted to persecute anyone we would have done so but the emphasis of the President (Benigno Aquino III) is observe due process," he said. - KBK, GMA News