Palace: No int'l embarrassment over Arroyo asylum row
Malacañang on Sunday dismissed as ânoise" the claim by former President Gloria Arroyoâs camp that the Dominican Republicâs denial of Arroyoâs reported asylum bid there has brought shame to the Philippines. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte insisted the claim by Arroyoâs spokesperson Elena Bautista-Horn was âpart of noise generated by the Arroyo camp." âIt is not true that there was international embarrassment. All this is part of the noise generated by the Arroyo camp to divert attention from the real issue," government-run radio dzRB quoted Valte as saying. Valte said Justice Secretary Leila de Lima was asked a question about the reported bid of Arroyo for asylum in the Dominican Republic and merely âreplied matter-of-factly that the information was unverified." âShe was merely doing her job," Valte said of De Lima's statement. Valte also said the latest development would not affect the âtravel ban" on Arroyo as the Justice Department did not take the reported asylum bid into account. The Justice Department initially rejected Arroyoâs bid for an Allow Departure Order to seek medical treatment abroad. â LBG, GMA News