Arroyo to heed possible hold order from Pasay court—spokesman

MANILA, Philippines—Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will attempt to fly to Singapore Friday once the Supreme Court affirms its temporary restraining order against travel restrictions imposed by the Department of Justice.

But lawyer Raul Lambino, who speaks for Arroyo on legal matters,  stressed that the former president would have no choice but to respect the Pasay City Regional Trial Court should it issue a hold departure order  being sought by a joint panel of the Commission on Elections and the Department Justice, which rushed the filing of an electoral sabotage case against Arroyo late Friday morning.

In a phone interview, Lambino said the Arroyo camp had no intention of defying the courts, unlike the Aquino administration which disregarded the Supreme Court’s TRO against the so-called watch list order issued by Justice Secretary Leila De Lima against Arroyo. Officials under the DOJ refused to process the travel documents of Arroyo and her husband when they attempted to board a flight to Singapore Tuesday night.

“We hope that the Aquino administration will respect whatever decision the SC en banc comes up with today. Without an HDO (hold departure order) from the Pasay RTC, they cannot hold back Mrs. Arroyo’s travel plans,” said Lambino, who expressed doubt whether the Aquino administration would heed a Supreme Court ruling upholding its earlier TRO.