The Constitution’s guarantee of a citizen’s right to travel seems to be a righteous clause.
However, even if we have this right, the majority of Filipinos do not have the economic capacity to bear the expenses of going abroad. Thus, this guarantee is reserved only for the privileged few. Ironic in Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s case is that her (and her husband’s) economic capacity to travel could have come from the coffers of the Filipino people themselves, if and when the numerous corruption cases that the government is about to level on them will be proven true.
Moreover, after treatment from and by, perhaps, the most expensive hospital and doctors in the Philippines, GMA (Arroyo) complains that her right to seek medical care of her choice is trampled by the travel ban. Why, many Filipinos cannot even choose to be hospitalized. In fact, several are not even given the chance to see a doctor during their lifetime.
Two points arise from here, the cultural and the social: One, GMA is not “kawawa”; two, something has to be done to democratize the health system.
GMA’s camp also harped on the rough treatment they got from airport and immigration personnel when GMA and her husband tried to leave the country on Nov. 15. The lawyers lectured on courtesy due a former president. With witnesses coming out now testifying to fraud during the 2004 presidential elections, we are not sure if GMA should have been president at all. This could be the reason airport and immigration personnel—although they deny this—were discourteous.
The problem with the Supreme Court majority is that they went by the book. Decisions like this should have moral grounds and consider national interest. GMA and her husband are about to be charged with the very serious crimes of plunder and election fraud. If they are allowed to go out of the country and never to return, these cases will never have the chance to be tried and heard.
GMA’s lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, offered his balls to guarantee their return. But, of course, this is way too small (and insignificant) in exchange for the risk of GMA saying “I am sorry” from abroad, beyond the arms of the law.
—JULIE L. PO, Linangan ng Kulturang Pilipino, jlp704@yahoo.com