Supreme Court: TRO stays but Arroyo can’t leave

MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court said Friday former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo cannot leave the country as the Pasay City Regional Trial Court has issued a warrant for her arrest.

Court administrator and spokesperson Jose Midas Marquez said, however, that the temporary restraining order that the tribunal had issued lifting travel restriction earlier imposed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima “still stands.”

“But if you’re going to ask whether the former President can still leave, she is now barred because of the warrant of arrest,” Marquez said in a hastily called news briefing.

He said the pending petitions in the high court questioning Department of Justice Circular 41 and the electoral sabotage case filed in the Pasay RTC “are in no way related with each other.”