Mike Arroyo asks court anew to travel abroad amid graft raps

Mike Arroyo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo has once again asked the Sandiganbayan’s permission to travel to Japan and Hong Kong even as he faces multiple graft charges before the court.

In his motion for leave to travel abroad, Arroyo asked the court to be allowed to travel to Japan from July 20 to 25 and Hong Kong from July 25 to 28.

Arroyo said he will return to Manila on July 28.

Arroyo through his lawyers said he should be allowed to travel because he is not a flight risk, especially because he has no reason to flee his charges with his wife, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, under hospital detention for plunder at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center.

The reelected Pampanga Rep. Arroyo faces plunder for the alleged misuse of P366 million in charity funds for personal gain.

READ: Sandigan denies Arroyo move to junk evidence in PCSO plunder case

Arroyo also said he had been allowed by the court to travel abroad before and he had always returned to face his charges.

READ: Sandiganbayan OKs Mike Arroyo’s travel abroad amid graft rap

The former first gentleman faces graft trial as he stands accused of selling two secondhand helicopters to the Philippine National Police and passing them off as brand new in 2009.

Arroyo has denied owning the two Robinsons R44 Raven I helicopters supposedly used by his wife in the 2004 presidential election.

Arroyo is also a co-accused in the graft case of his wife involving the $329-million National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE.

He is accused of facilitating the allegedly overpriced deal and using his influence as first gentleman. RAM/rga

READ: Court allows Arroyo bid to discredit evidence in graft raps