Imelda faces arrest over bail violation

The Sandiganbayan Fourth Division has ordered former first lady Imelda Marcos to submit a detailed explanation why she defied the court order against extending her travel abroad.

In a resolution issued Monday signed by division chairman Associate Justice Gregory Ong, the anti-graft court ordered Marcos to submit her explanation within 15 days or face possible arrest and cancellation of her bail bond.

"It appearing as per report of the Division Clerk of Court that... (Mrs. Marcos) herein failed to return to this jurisdiction within the period prescribed in the Court’s resolution of Sept. 22, 2003, (Mrs. Marcos) is hereby directed in writing within fifteen days from notice why... this Court should not bother the forfeiture of her bail and travel bonds and cause the immediate issuance of a bench warrant for her arrest," the resolution said.

The court also ordered Marcos why she made the "unauthorized" trip to London which was not included in her submitted itinerary.

The anti-graft court had allowed Marcos to travel to the United States for 30 days, from Sept. 26 to Oct. 26, but she flew back to the Philippines from London on Wednesday, overshooting the deadline by 10 days.

Marcos appeared Thursday before the Sandiganbayan’s fourth and fifth divisions, a day after she arrived, where she signed clearances and presented her passport, accompanied by personal physician Dr. Lorenzo Jocson and lawyer Robert Sison. – With Rainier Allan Ronda