Sunday 14th August, 2011 (Source: Sun Star Daily)
MANILA (Updated 9:42 a.m.) -- Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo on Thursday failed to attend the Senate investigation into the controversial chopper deal due to health reasons.
A letter submitted to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee by Arroyo's lawyer Innocencio Ferrer said the former first gentleman would not be able to attend the hearing, as Dr. Lorenzo Cariño, Arroyo's physician, said Arroyo is not healthy enough to testify. During the resumption of the Senate hearing on the helicopters sold to the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday, Senator Teofisto Guingona III welcomed Arroyo being back in the country from Hong Kong but challenged to face allegations against him in the Senate.
Arroyo, husband of former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Arroyo, has been diagnosed with dissecting aortic aneurysm and was in Hong Kong last week for a medical checkup. He had to undergo a 10-hour open-heart surgery in 2007 for his heart problem.
Cariño said Arroyo could die if he develops a new tear in his aorta.
Ferrer said Arroyo is willing to undergo examination by government doctors.
However, Guingona said, "Wag tayong magtago sa likod ng medical certificate para iwasan ang pagdalo dito sa Senado (We should not use the medical certificate as a reason to escape the Senate hearing)."
Guingona ordered government doctors to verify the medical condition of the former first gentleman.
He said Arroyo should face all allegations and detractors in the Senate and prove the statements against him are all lies.
He also assured Arroyo of fair treatment if he attends the Senate investigation.
Earlier, during a Senate hearing, Lion Air Inc. president Archibald Po tagged Arroyo as the owner of the used choppers sold as brand new for $350,000 each to the PNP.