Arroyo resets flight to Singapore Thursday

MANILA, Philippines — Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo decided, on Wednesday, to postpone her trip to Singapore until Thursday after her blood pressure shot up due to the stress brought about by the Department of Justice’s refusal to allow her and her party to leave abroad for medical check up, her spokesperson Elena Bautista-Horn said on Wednesday.

“Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will not be leaving for Singapore today. She has decided to rest since her blood pressure elevated and has not normalized yet up to this time. She will leave for Singapore tomorrow (Thursday),” Horn said.

Arroyo has a scheduled check-up with an endoctrinologist in Singapore at 12:15 pm Thursday for evaluation of her disease of the glands.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order, stopping the Aquino government from enforcing a travel ban on Mrs. Arroyo and her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, pending the preliminary investigation of the charges of plunder and election sabotage against them.

The high tribunal used as basis the constitutional provisions that persons who have not been charged in court could only be deprived of their right to travel if government had basis to believe they were threats to national security, public safety and health.