THE government can foot the bill for President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s examination here by foreign medical experts, President Benigno Aquino III said yesterday.

He said he is willing to talk with his predecessor and offer to bring in the foreign doctors instead of allowing her to go abroad because she has to stay and face her string of cases.

In yesterday’s briefing with Palace reporters, the President threw his support behind the decision of justice chief Leila De Lima to junk the travel request of Arroyo.

“How do we balance the interests? We can bring in specialists to look at her situation. We can even carry the financial aspect of it,” Aquino said.

He stressed he could not allow Arroyo to leave because of her cases particularly the electoral sabotage suit which needs to be resolved soon since another election is coming.

Arroyo is undergoing preliminary investigation for the election offense but she has yet to submit her counter-affidavit.

“The implication is too big in case she does not come back. In case she decides not to, who will be answerable to all the cases? We also need justice,” the President said..

Aquino said Arroyo could not be tried "in absentia" if the DoJ decides there is probable cause to file electoral sabotage and plunder cases against the former President

"If she decides not to return, how can we make her return?" the President said.

He also said his doubts about Mrs.Arroyo’s travel requests were rooted in the discrepancies in her travel request.

He noted that the current Pampanga representative has told the House of Representatives that she would be going to six countries when she asked for travel authority only to list later on three countries when she asked  the DOJ for an allow departure order.

He said Arroyo also did not mention the doctors she would see and enumerate the hospitals where she would be treated.

Aquino said her request was subsequently revised again, he noted.

“It was only on Nov 2 that she named the specialist who will be looking into her,” Aquino said.

He also stressed the countries she enumerated do not have an extradition treaty with the Philippines.

“Is it not doubtful that she keeps on changing her mind?” he asked.

Citing the Department Circular 41 which restrains the travels of those with legal cases, the President also found it rather strange that Arroyo is now questioning before the courts a circular issued under her term.