Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo may skip the preliminary investigation by the Department of Justice on election-related charges on November 3, her spokesman said Sunday.
Arroyo’s spokesman, defeated senatorial candidate Raul Lambino, said Arroyo is likely to send a lawyer to attend the proceedings instead.
“Hindi ko masasabi sino ang available lawyer to represent her on November 3," he said in an interview on dzBB radio.
Last Tuesday, Arroyo was served two subpoenas to attend the preliminary investigation on election-related charges on November 3.
The subpoenas included two for electoral sabotage charges filed by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, and for violating the Election Code as alleged by the joint panel of the DOJ and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
The former president is still recovering from three surgeries performed on her cervical spine.
Meanwhile, Lambino brushed aside anew concerns that she would attempt to evade facing the charges against her in the Philippines once she is allowed to go abroad for treatment.
He said Arroyo is aware that seeking exile in a foreign country without an extradition treaty with the Philippines will jeopardize diplomatic ties.
“Magkakaroon ng repercussion 'yan sa diplomatic relations ng ating bansa kung gagawin niya yan," he said.
But he maintained there is still no determination of probable cause in the charges against Arroyo so far. As such, he said there is a chance the DOJ and the Ombudsman can still dismiss the complaints lodged against Arroyo.
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