Ombudsman opposes Mike Arroyo bid to travel

Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo. FILE PHOTO

The Office of the Ombudsman has opposed a motion filed by the husband of detained former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo asking the Sandiganbayan to allow him to leave the country for a 10-day trip to Japan and Hong Kong.

In its two-page opposition, the Ombudsman said Jose Miguel Arroyo’s request for a travel authority was “procedurally anomalous” as it involved two separate travels.

Arroyo and his wife are facing graft charges in the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division in relation to the scuttled $329-billon national broadband network project with China’s ZTE Corp.

He was also indicted in another division of the antigraft court for the anomalous sale of second-hand helicopters he allegedly owned to the Philippine National Police.

In his motion, Arroyo said he was planning to travel to Japan from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5 and stay at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.

On Feb. 5, he said he would travel to Hong Kong and stay for four days at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile hotel.

“Jose Miguel desires to visit Japan and Hong Kong for a short vacation after the holiday rush,” his motion read.

Arroyo had been previously allowed by the court to leave the country.