Mike A leaves for US

And he’s off.

President Arroyo’s controversial husband left yesterday for the United States on voluntary exile intended to help spare his embattled wife from further political troubles.

First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, a lightning rod for political attacks against Mrs. Arroyo, boarded at around 12:30 p.m. a Cathay Pacific flight bound for Hong Kong from where, his lawyer Jesus Santos said, he was to fly to the US.

Mr. Arroyo, popularly known as Mike, declined to comment on his exile or the opposition’s attempts to unseat his wife on allegations that she cheated in last year’s elections.

He merely waved and shook hands with some reporters after emerging from an elevator in the Dignitaries Lounge of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The First Gentleman gave assurance that he would return if summoned by any official body that might be investigating allegations against him.

There was also no indication where he would go to in the US or how long he would be in Hong Kong.

Nonetheless, the bidding of farewell to his children and granddaughter was somber.

His lawyer said the First Gentleman kept on kissing and embracing his granddaughter by youngest son, Diosdado Ignacio "Dato" Arroyo, before he boarded the plane.

Clad in a dark coat over a light blue polo and dark slacks, Mr. Arroyo cuddled and kissed his granddaughter Eva Victoria before handing her over to Dato.

Extreme sadness was what Mr. Arroyo felt, Santos said, with his voluntary separation from his family. And his grief was evident when daughter Lourdes Evangeline, nicknamed Luli, hugged him to say goodbye.

"He is sad," Santos, said. "He wants to leave so that the President can do her work. He feels bad. He is saddened by reports that are erroneous."

Santos stressed that Mr. Arroyo’s husband was leaving "on his volition."

The First Couple’s eldest son, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo, his wife Angela and their daughter Mikkaela are believed to follow the First Gentleman to the US. They were reportedly booked on Philippine Airlines Flight PR 104 scheduled to depart for San Francisco, California at 10:30 last night.

Asked why father and son did not go together on the same flight, Santos said he did not know the reason.

"Hindi ko alam. Wala rin naman silang nasabi sa akin kung bakit (I don’t know. They did not tell me why)," Santos told reporters.

The First Gentleman was no longer around during the full military honors accorded visiting Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka.

He was supposed to accompany the President as Belka arrived with his wife, Krystyna Belka for a two-day visit in the country. Protocol dictates that the President’s spouse be present when the visiting leader has a husband or wife accompanying him.

The President was instead escorted by Presidential Security Group commander Gen. Delfin Bangit.

The President said last week her husband had volunteered to go abroad after he became the target of allegations of corruption.

Media reports have alleged Mr. Arroyo influenced several government transactions and appointments.

Along with the President’s brother-in-law, congressman Ignacio Arroyo and her son Mikey, the First Gentleman has also been accused of taking payoffs from illegal lottery operators. All three reject the allegations.

Mr. Arroyo was said to be one of those in the taped conversations with an official of the Commission on Elections but he, unlike the President, declined comment.

The President is facing separate impeachment charges in Congress over allegations that she connived with an elections official to win the May 2004 elections. She has admitted speaking to the official while the votes were being counted, but denied any wrongdoing.

Mr. Arroyo traveled to Hong Kong last week but returned on Sunday after receiving a court summons to testify as a hostile witness at the trial of deposed President Joseph Estrada.

His lawyer later convinced the court not to put him at the witness stand at this time. — Aurea Calica, AFP, AP, Rainier Allan Ronda