MANILA- The Department of Justice (DOJ) will place former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo under the immigration watch list, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Monday.
De Lima said the order will be issued anytime this week.
She explained that the order was put on hold "for humanitarian reasons," as Arroyo recently underwent a surgical operation for a pinched nerve.
De Lima said the former President is currently facing several graft and plunder complaints for alleged anomalies under her nearly 10-year administration.
Plunder is a non-bailable offense.
De Lima also said the DOJ has the authority to have people placed under the immigration watch list. Those on the list cannot leave the country without permission from the DOJ.
"That should be within the powers and prerogative of DOJ because we investigate and prosecute and lalo na, you know, sa bagal ng wheels of justice sa court, kung wala kami ganiyan, almost always natatakasan tayo," she said.
"One consideration for issuance of watch list order is the possible flight risk, being a possible flight risk of the subject, that's why I issued against (former COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio) Garcillano because he had a history of hiding," the DOJ chief added.
She also cited the case involving the former President's husband, Mike Arroyo. "Because there is a formal request from the Senate, lalo na when he was named in the hearing last Tuesday," de Lima explained.
"Nandiyan na iyan, sinusunod ko lang. That should be within the powers and prerogative of DOJ because we investigate and prosecute and lalo na you know sa bagal ng wheels of justice sa court, kung wala kami ganyan almost always natatakasan tayo."
"Watch list order is just a watch list order. If wala ka intensyon to evade the law, hindi ka dapat na matakot ... because all you have to do is go through the prescribed administrative procedure of getting clearance from the DOJ by convincing us of the legitimacy of the travel," said De Lima.
'Trial by publicity'
The former President's legal spokesman lashed out at the Aquino administration for the looming watch list order.
"We've heard about such plan of Malacañang a long time ago in order to put the Arroyos in a shameful situation and in a bad light for public consumption," Atty. Raul Lambino said Monday.
"It is part of the Aquino administration's overall production carnival to keep the trial and conviction by publicity against the Arroyo," he claimed.
"It's another political stunt to cover the incompetence and dismal performance of Malacañang and to divert public attention from closely scrutinizing the more massive anomalies committed by close associates of PNoy," he added.- Reports from Ina Reformina and RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News
0 意見:
張貼留言