Spokesman: Arroyo books Friday flight to Singapore

Former President Gloria Arroyo has booked a flight to Singapore for Friday afternoon, one of her spokespersons claimed Friday. A report by radio dzBB's Allan Gatus quoted lawyer and defeated senatorial bet Raul Lambino as saying that they booked a 5:10 p.m. flight via Singapore Airlines. But the report quoted Lambino as saying the flight will still depend on whether Mrs. Arroyo is physically fit to travel. Lambino also said they will monitor the proceedings of the Supreme Court's special en banc session to tackle Mrs. Arroyo's right to travel. He cited information that Mrs. Arroyo had set an appointment at the Mt. Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore for Saturday, the dzBB report said. Mrs. Arroyo scrapped Thursday her plan to fly to Singapore as she was not physically fit to travel. Meanwhile, security remained tight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 for another attempt by the Arroyo couple to leave. Radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen said the Philippine National Police's Aviation Security Group posted personnel around the NAIA. On Tuesday night, the Department of Justice, through the Immigration Bureau, blocked Mrs. Arroyo from leaving the country despite the temporary restraining order (TRO) the high court issued against the DOJ’s watch list order on the former president. On Thursday, SC issued a “Show Cause and Comply" order to the DOJ saying that the TRO was immediately executory. Hassle-free departure Unlike his mother, Ang Galing party-list Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo was able to leave the country Thursday night unhindered by the DOJ, after the Quezon City Regional Trial Court – where he has a pending tax-evasion case – allowed him to travel to the US. Mikey did not give any statement to media upon his departure. The young Arroyo had relatively no problem clearing immigration and security procedures at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, radio dzBB reported. The legal row over the right of the former president to travel is on the agenda of the Supreme Court in a special en banc session Friday. — ELR/LBG/MRT/RSJ, GMA News