Justice Sec De Lima mulls clipping ex-President Arroyo’s overseas jaunts
MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said she is seriously considering placing former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo under the Bureau of Immigration’s watch list order, which means the concurrent Pampanga congresswoman won’t be able to travel out of the country without permission from the former.
“There is a ground for that [issuance of a watchlist order], She is now subject of several investigations not just in the DoJ, but her name kept coming out in the PCSO investigation…I am in fact seriously considering that,” De Lima told reporters in an ambush interview.
Arroyo was implicated in the alleged illegal release of funds from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) worth P325-million from 2008 to 2010. The funds were reportedly channelled through the Office of the President’s intelligence fund.
Arroyo’s signature was reportedly affixed on the letter requests that former PCSO vice chair and general manager Rosario Uriarte submitted to Malacañang.
She is also facing a plunder case before the DoJ based on a complaint filed by former Solicitor-General and political nemesis Francisco Chavez, who accused the ex-President of diverting over P500 million funds earmarked supposedly for medical benefits of overseas Filipino workers.
The Office of the Ombudsman is also conducting a separate investigation to determine her possible liability in fertilizer fund scam at the Department of Agriculture.
If Arroyo is under the watch list order, she will be barred from leaving the country without clearance from De Lima.
“At least, under the watch list order, I have greater leeway and I have motu propio (on my own) prerogative.” De Lima rationalized.
“Under the watchlist, we record her travel, there has to be a valid explanation and she has to move formally to have it lifted,” she added.
