Arroyo should not have to beg for her right to life, travel

MANILA, Philippines—Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should not have to beg for her life in order for the Aquino administration to grant her request for a bone biopsy abroad, her spokesperson said on Thursday.

Elena Bautista-Horn, also Arroyo’s chief of staff, said Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s decision to defer action on the former president’s travel request indicated the secretary would not grant an “allowed departure order (ADA).”

“Bakit kailangan ganun? Sana bigyan rin ng konsiderasyon. Tingin ko di kailangan magmakaaawa it’s the right of every person. Kailangan ba magmakaawang mabuhay.  Kung ganon, wala nang demokrasya? (Why does it have to be that way? Appropriate consideration should be given to her.  I think she should not have to beg [for her right to travel], it’s the right of every person.  Should anybody have to beg for the right to live? If so, is there still democracy?),” Horn said in a television interview.

Horn pointed out that Arroyo’s camp had complied with all the requirements of the DOJ and had, in fact, been silent on the Aquino administration.

She revealed that Arroyo has been taking 25 tablets daily, apart from a hormononal injection, because her parathyroid gland has not been working, which, according to Arroyo’s doctors, has prevented the efficient absorption of vitamins and mineral into her body.

Arroyo’s treatment would depend on the results of the bone biopsy, she said.

“Of course, you wouldn’t want to take more than 20 medicines every day. Who would want to get sick? Who would want to have glands that are not working well?” Horn said.

Horn said she was beginning to suspect that the government was just waiting for Arroyo to be in a more serious condition before acting on Arroyo’s travel request.

She said that while the disease was not life threatening, Arroyo was entitled to have the best health treatment.

“We don’t know what will happen to the bones that’s why we need a biopsy to assess,” she said, adding that the bones might slowly be degenerating.

According to Horn, Arroyo has been recovering from her surgeries but there is no specialist here for the bone mineral disorder that was discovered during her recovery.

“It’s a rare disease. We have made announcement and doctors have confirmed that we want this (bone) disorder to be examined. We need to have a bone biopsy abroad because there is no specialist here who can best read the result,” she stressed.

On the issue of changing travel dates and itineraries, which De Lima had questioned, Horn said the latest request for travel order was strictly for medical purposes, unlike the previous month.

She said Arroyo could only travel to countries where there were specialists on bone mineral disorder.

Horn said the Arroyo camp had to speak out this time even if they were already behind schedule in seeking treatment abroad for the congressman.

For his part, lawyer Raul Lambino, Arroyo’s legal spokesperson, said De Lima already prejudged the cases against the former leader and her family judging from her public pronouncements on the travel request.

“Secretary de Lima’s pronouncement today says she needs more time to study matter but she gives a lot of reasons to indicate this government would not want to give approval,” Lambino said on Thursday.

Lambino said he would confer with Arroyo and other legal eagles on the next legal steps in the wake of the DOJ decision to defer action on the request.

On statements that Arroyo should be allowed to go only to countries with which the Philippines has signed extradition treaties, Lambino said extradition would not apply if the person asserting his right to travel was being persecuted.

He added the government could always cancel the Arroyo’s passports should they refuse to come back or ask the help of the international police to bring them back here.

And unlike Sen. Panfilo Lacson who was once a fugitive from justice, Arroyo, who could not survive without a neck brace, would not be strong enough to run away, Lambino added.

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna Party-list Representative Teddy Casino said De Lima’s decision was a smart move on the part of the DOJ considering there was no immediate need for Arroyo to seek medical help abroad.

“But again we would be far from this situation if the Aquino administration fast tracked the cases against GMA,” Casino said.