De Lima says sorry for Arroyo travel blooper

MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila De Lima on Friday apologized to Jose Miguel Arroyo for saying the former first gentleman left the country without passing through the Bureau of Immigration last July 31.

“I humbly apologize in behalf of the Bureau of Immigration for the lapses of information yesterday,” De Lima said in a text message sent to reporters.

“The BI tried to verify further and based on manifestation and boarding pass, it was confirmed that he left through a commercial flight,” De Lima said.

As it turned out, Arroyo’s surname was misspelled as “Aroyo”,  making it difficult for immigration officials to find his travel record.

On Thursday, De Lima said the bureau had no record of Arroyo’s trip to Hong Kong.

“I am still having it investigated. I really want to know what is the true cause of the wrong information given to me yesterday (Thursday) because I asked about it and that was the information given to me as of yesterday. Now, it turns out mali pala (It was wrong),” De Lima told reporters in an interview late Friday afternoon.

“That’s why if the former First Gentleman is seeking for my apology, then I am humbly doing it. I humbly apologize in behalf of the BI for this mistake, for this lapse,” she said.

Media reports quoted Arroyo’s lawyers challenging De Lima on Friday to apologize after they said Arroyo even fell in line at an immigration counter last July 31 at the Naia, which was why it would be impossible for the BI not to have a record of his departure. With Nikko Dizon, Philippine Daily Inquirer