JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday claimed that former President and now Pampanga Rep Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's eventual destination, if she is permitted to seek medical treatment abroad, is the Dominican Republic.

Citing a tip from a source, de Lima bared that Mrs. Arroyo along with her equally-controversial husband, former first gentleman Mike Arroyo, is planning to seek political asylum in the Caribbean country.

“We are verifying this information. This is something we can’t ignore,” she stressed.

De Lima said Mrs. Arroyo's objective in relocating in the Dominican Republic was pretty obvious -- to evade prosecution and a possible jail term.

Incidentally, the Philippines has no extradition treaty with the Dominican Republic.

But De Lima made it clear the information on Mrs. Arroyo’s final destination has yet to be verified and that she would coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs for this purpose.

However, she admitted that the information contributed to her decision not to allow her to get treatment abroad amid plunder and poll fraud charges against her.

“Any information we are getting, which is becoming the basis for our doubt on the true agenda for the travel, would be coursed through the DFA,” she explained.

“Anything is possible. They can always do that (seek asylum). What if our suspicion turns out to be true, that this (medical issue) is just a spectacle really to have a shield for their actual intention of evading these cases?” she asked.

The DOJ chief also supported the alternative offered by President Benigno Aquino to bring in foreign doctors who will examine Arroyo.