LACSON: CONTROVERSIAL ARROYO AIDE IN ENTOURAGE MAKES MEDICAL TRIP ABROAD FISHY

A controversial aide, the lack of extradition treaties in her real preferred countries, and the silence on which doctor she will meet with are making former President Gloria Arroyo's plan to seek medical help abroad smell fishy, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Thursday.

Citing information from his spy in the Justice Department, Lacson questioned the inclusion of Remedios Poblador, Arroyo's erstwhile secretary for "special concerns," as one of her entourage abroad.

"Isn't it suspicious that instead of strictly family members, it seems that she's bringing with her the whole 'secretariat?'" he said.

He said that while he has no objection to Arroyo seeking the best medical help possible, these three factors cast doubt on her real motives for wanting to leave the country.

Poblador gained controversy during the Arroyo administration when she allegedly offered money to "Hello Garci" witness Vidal Doble Jr. in exchange for his refusal to testify before a congressional inquiry into the "Garci" scandal.

She also dispatched a government helicopter to bring then Balanga Bishop Socrates Villegas to "rescue" Doble from the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City at the height of the "Garci" scandal in 2005.

Doble had also testified before the Senate that Poblador was one of the personalities he saw at the quarters of then Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Efren Abu, where his wife and two children were "detained."

Lacson also questioned why the countries Arroyo intends to travel to have no extradition treaty, saying her real intended countries include Austria, Germany and Spain.

Aside from this, he said Arroyo has been mum on the identity of the doctors she plans to consult during her trip abroad.

"She could not give details of the doctors she will consult with. What makes this more fishy is that of the 14 people in her entourage, most of them are aides," he said.