Pimentel suggests specialists be flown in to treat Arroyo

MANILA, Philippines—Taking former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo abroad would be more dangerous for the principal accused in the  sabotage that allegedly happened in the 2007 senatorial elections, the most prominent victim of the fraud said on Saturday.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, who started serving his term as senator only in 2011 because Juan Miguel Zubiri was initially declared the winner, said it would be better if the foreign specialists were flown into the country instead of making Arroyo endure a grueling flight to the United States or Europe.

“If it were that deadly, a 12-hour or 14-hour flight would also be dangerous,” Pimentel told the Inquirer.

“Why don’t they just bring the doctors here?” added Pimentel, now  chair of the Senate committee on electoral reforms.  One of Arroyo’s doctors said on Friday that she needed a team of medical experts that is still unavailable in the Philippines.

Senator Francis Pangilinan, the former chair of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, also expressed the view that the medical experts should be brought in from abroad should the need be  independently established.

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“If… it can be established by independent evidence that she can in fact be treated here in Manila by bringing in the doctors  who have the skill needed, then it is my view that [a] petition to leave the country should be denied,” Pangilinan told the Inquirer.

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One of Arroyo’s doctors, Dr. Roberto Anastacio, said on Friday that Arroyo’s condition was “deadly” and  she needed a team of specialists on “repetitive reconstruction” not available in the country.  He said the team would include a surgeon, neurophysiologists, biomedical engineers and medical researchers.

“We leave it up to the court to decide based on expert advice given by non-interested parties,” Pangilinan said.

“Should she be allowed to travel, it is absolutely non-negotiable to ensure that the necessary safeguards are put in place by the court to prevent her from fleeing,” he added.

Pangilinan said the court must “ensure that there are security escorts from either the PNP or the NBI and representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs to accompany her 24/7 to prevent her from escaping.”

Aside from the electoral sabotage case, Arroyo is also facing a criminal charge of plunder in connection with the alleged misuse of millions of pesos belonging to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Pimentel said he was a victim of 2007 electoral fraud after Zubiri, then an ally of Arroyo’s, was proclaimed the winner of the 12th Senate seat contested in the elections that year.

Zubiri resigned his position in 2011 citing the fraud that attended the 2007 polls.  Zubiri, who even served as the Senate majority floor leader, said he knew nothing of the cheating that happened particularly in Mindanao.

After just two years in the Senate, Pimentel would again seek election in next year’s mid-term elections.

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