Arroyos arrive at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines— Former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with her husband Mike Arroyo arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport 1 aboard an ambulance  of St. Luke’s Hospital at 8:11 pm Tuesday.

TV footage showed pushing and shoving among Arroyos’ aides and media people as the couple emerged from the ambulance.  Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo was put on a wheelchair and was immediately whisked inside the airport escorted by her son, Rep. Mikey Arroyo, spokesperson Elena Bautista-Horn and several police officers.

It was not clear what flight the couple would be taking. It was reported earlier that they had booked several flights to Singapore, either via Philippine Airlines or Tiger Airways, where Mrs. Arroyo was supposed to undergo a medical check-up to determine if she could proceed to Europe for further medical treatment of a rare bone disease afflicting her.

There was traffic build-up at the airport premises. There were also reported complaints from other passengers who continue to experience discomfort and security worries inside the airport because of the sudden commotion.

Earlier, the Bureau of Immigration said  it was ready to enforce the Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s order prohibiting the Arroyos from leaving the country pending the finality of the Supreme Court temporary restraining order.

“The instruction of Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David is to implement the procedures [for the watchlist order] in place. We will just uphold existing order to us by the DOJ since we are the implementing agency. As directed by the Secretary, we would uphold the watch list order [since[ we have not likewise receive official order contrary to the existing,” BI spokesperson Ma. Antonette Mangrobang told reporters earlier.

Mangrobang, a lawyer, added that the BI still has to get a copy of the Supreme Court’s TRO.

She added that there was no need to beef up measures at BI offices at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

“Our airport counters are sufficiently manned. They are there to monitor. They know what to do,” she said.

At 9 p.m., it was not clear whether immigration people at the airport were able to follow the order as the media was barred from entering the airport.  With a report by Jerome Aning