PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III gave the blessing for former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to seek medical treatment abroad if necessary.
"For humanitarian considerations, kung kailangan po niya bakit hindi," Aquino said.
The President, however, clarified that he will only allow Arroyo to seek medical treatment outside the country if that will be the recommendation of her doctors.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda stressed that the President's willingness to allow the lady lawmaker to leave the country does not mean the administration is going slow on her.
"If the medical doctors find it necessary and the Arroyo family would request it from us as humanitarian gesture, of course. If there are no medical facilities or medical expertise available in the Philippines, we will not deprive the Arroyo family of getting the best medical attention they can do," he said.
"You must remember also that the President's father was also granted the same thing. So it would be in consonance with the President's nature to...for humanitarian purposes to allow such travel abroad for medical reasons," he added.
Arroyo's attending physician Dr. Juliet Gopez-Cervantes earlier clarified that they issued no recommendation for Arroyo's proposed medical treatment abroad, contrary to the pronouncement of her legal spokesperson Raul Lambino.
Lambino was quoted in several news websites saying that his client is "in critical condition" and needs to seek treatment either in the United States and Singapore.
Cervantes denied that Arroyo was in serious condition and "there was no cause for concern regarding her condition."
She added that Arroyo is recovering well and will be scheduled for another cervical spine surgery on Tuesday after the infection has been resolved.
An infection prevented doctors from performing a reconstructive surgery on Arroyo last week after the titanium implants on her cervical spine got dislodged.
Lacierda refused to comment on the supposed plan of Arroyo to seek asylum in another country if ever she will be granted to leave the country, saying it was only a speculation.
He, meanwhile, maintained that the investigation on the plunder cases filed against Arroyo before the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice (DOJ) will continue despite her condition.
"She already filed her counter affidavit so tuloy po yung investigation," he said.
Arroyo is facing three plunder cases before the DOJ and two other similar cases before the Ombudsman.
Arroyo remains under the immigration watchlist as ordered by DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)
