MANILA, Philippines - Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her husband, Mike, are set to skip the November 3 preliminary hearing of a Department of Justice-Commission on Election (DOJ-Comelec) task force investigating alleged fraud in the 2007 mid-term elections.
Mr. Arroyo said he and his wife will be skipping the November 3 preliminary investigation at the DOJ on the electoral sabotage charges lodged against them. Instead, they will be sending their lawyers.
Meanwhile, a Palace spokesperson said Health Secretary Enrique Ona and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima have yet to discuss Arroyo's application for an allow departure order.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said Ona's opinion will be taken into consideration after Arroyo requested that she be allowed to seek treatment abroad for her hypoparathyroidism.
"Health Secretary Enrique Ona will be conferring with Secretary Leila de Lima on the matter. Secretary Ona's opinion will certainly be taken into consideration by Secretary de Lima when the latter decides on the request for the issuance of an ADO. Any speculations as to the opinion of Secretary Ona are premature and it will be better to wait for the final report," she said.
Reached via text messaging, Ona said his visit to Arroyo "was both a social and medical visit. She is recuperating well."
Ona did not give any other details on the visit. Report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News