As promised, Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, husband of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, returned to the country Thursday night following a one-week business trip and vacation in Japan and Hong Kong.
“You see I’m back, I told you I’ll be back. You thought I would not return,” he told reporters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 as soon as he arrived around 6:30 p.m.
He went to Japan to meet with Japanese businessmen involved in hydroelectric operations and then flew to Hong Kong to get some rest.
He quietly left the country on May 3 after the Sandiganbayan granted his petition to be allowed to travel.
Mike Arroyo is facing graft charges in connection with the $329-million national broadband network deal that his wife’s administration signed in 2007 with the Chinese ZTE Corp. The deal was later scrapped amid allegations of overpricing and payoffs to then elections chief and the Arroyo couple.
Japanese not investing
Asked how his meeting with Japanese businessmen went, he said they appeared to be no longer interested in investing in the country.
“They said they’re still studying whether they would still invest here in the Philippines. I think they’re not interested anymore because of what’s happening here,” he added.
Pressed why he thought foreign investors appeared to have changed their minds about investing in the country, he said, “I don’t know. I might say something not nice, so I will not comment.”
But he said that even while he was away, he was monitoring what was happening back home, particularly the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.
“But I’d rather not comment about that,” he said.
He said he was able to get a much-needed rest in Hong Kong.
“I ate a lot there. I think I gained weight,” said Mike Arroyo, who looked very relaxed and appeared to be in a good mood as he fielded questions from members of the media.
He said he was aware that his wife was scheduled for a checkup at the Makati Medical Center.
He said that from the airport, he would proceed to Veterans Memorial Medical Center to see his wife.
Mike Arroyo, who traveled alone, went through the normal airport procedures just like any ordinary passenger.
He was seen queuing at the immigration counter before he took a push cart and proceeded to the baggage conveyor to get his luggage.
He was met by an aide while he was waiting for his bag. He then proceeded to a waiting vehicle outside the arrival lobby.