Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo is off again for a tour across Europe and Asia from September 15 to November 3, promising the Sandiganbayan he will return to continue his trial for graft.
Arroyo asked the Sandiganbayan Fourth and Fifth Divisions to allow him to travel, invoking his “constitutional right to travel” since he has not been found guilty in court, while saying he would follow the court’s restrictions to guarantee his return.
Arroyo did not give the reason for his tour across five countries in Europe and two countries in Asia.
The husband of former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who herself is detained for a plunder trial, was charged with graft before the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division for the botched $329 million national broadband network deal.
He faces another graft case before the Fifth Division for the allegedly anomalous P104-million sale to the Philippine National Police of second-hand helicopters he used to own.
Arroyo, who has been allowed before by the court to travel, has assured the court he would not jump bail since his wife, family and business interests are in the country.
His latest travel was from March to May this year also across Europe and Asia.
For his latest tour, Arroyo told the court he would visit Madrid, Spain from September 15 to 20; Munich, Germany from September 20 to 25; Amsterdam, the Netherlands from September 25 to 28; Zurich, Switzerland from September 28 to October 1; and Rome, Italy from October 1 to 5.
Arroyo set his return to the country on October 6 and then will travel again to Osaka, Japan from October 23 to 26 and Tokyo, Japan, from October 26 to 29; and finally to Hong Kong from October 29 to November 3.
He said he would be home by November 3. Dona Pazzibugan, Philippine Daily Inquirer