Palace hasn’t received travel letter from Arroyo, aide says

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang has not received any letter from former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo asking that she be allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment.

Abigail Valte, President Benigno Aquino III’s deputy spokesperson, made the statement in light of reports attributed to the camp of the Pampanga congresswoman that her letter to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on the issue of her foreign trip has been forwarded to Aquino.

Arroyo, who now represents Pampanga in the lower house of Congress, needs clearance to travel abroad as she has been placed on an immigration watchlist in light of the election sabotage and other cases against her.

Valte said Arroyo’s camp has been requesting that the former President be allowed to leave by November 1. She added, however, that the Department of Justice has yet to assess, with the help of the Department of Health, the medical abstract that would lay the basis for Arroyo’s need to leave the country for treatment.