Comelec to oppose Arroyo trip

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Tuesday said it would challenge in court former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s fresh bid to seek medical treatment abroad, citing her tendency to “amplify” her health condition.

Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. stressed that it was “too risky” for Arroyo, who is currently detained at Veterans Memorial Medical Center on charges of electoral sabotage, to be allowed to leave the country.

“We don’t want to allow her again this time because she used to say that before and it turned out that she can be treated by our doctors here,” Brillantes told reporters in a phone interview Tuesday.

He was referring to Arroyo’s previous attempt to leave the country purportedly for treatment of a rare bone disease.

Brillantes said electoral sabotage was a capital offense so Arroyo could not just be allowed to simply leave the country. He said foreign doctors should instead be brought to the country to examine her.

While conceding that the Pasay City Regional Trial Court trying the case against Arroyo has the final say on the issue, he said the Comelec would “ask for verification and check up on her true condition.”

Earlier, a source close to the Arroyo family said that the former President, who is now a representative of her hometown in Pampanga, was facing a “life-threatening condition” due to complications arising from her earlier surgery to treat her neck ailment.

On Thursday, Arroyo decided to undergo the Quantum electrochemistry examination at Makati Medical Center after experiencing choking sensations and shortness of breath.

A doctor present during the examination has said that a corrective surgery had to be done abroad as “no doctor would touch her here because of her delicate medical situation.”

House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, a close Arroyo ally, said the former President had to seek medical treatment abroad because no Filipino doctor was willing to perform surgery on her.

“They are hesitant because they are afraid that this might lead to her death. They know that she has a very rare ailment,” Suarez said in an interview with reporters.

He said Arroyo had identified medical experts abroad who were willing to perform the delicate surgery. He said the minority bloc would file a resolution appealing to President Aquino to allow Arroyo to leave.

He said the minority would use as a precedent the decision of then President Ferdinand Marcos to allow Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, the current President’s father who was under detention, to seek medical treatment abroad for his heart ailment.

“Why was Ninoy allowed to get treatment in the US when there are heart specialists in the country?” asked Suarez. “I think the President will consider our request because his only condition was if GMA (Arroyo) would return to which we have no doubts.” With a report from Gil C. Cabacungan

Originally posted: 6:21 pm | Tuesday, May 15th, 2012