MANILA: The Philippine government, the judiciary and ex-president Gloria Arroyo were set for a court showdown Friday after her bid to seek medical treatment abroad amid a graft probe sparked a political crisis.
The Supreme Court called a special hearing at 11:00am (0300 GMT) to tackle a government travel ban imposed on Arroyo, as well as her bid to have the ban lifted, said court spokesman Midas Marquez.
"It is possible that the court will rule on these issues today," Marquez told ABS-CBN television.
The court had ordered President Benigno Aquino's administration, which wants to put Arroyo on trial on allegations of graft and election fraud, to allow the ex-president to travel to have treatment.
But the government defied the court and she was prevented from boarding her flight to Singapore late Tuesday. Arroyo then checked into a Manila hospital.
Arroyo had been driven to the airport in an ambulance wearing a neck brace to support her spine that she says is weakened due to a rare bone disease.
The stand-off provoked Supreme Court threats to throw government officials in jail for contempt for refusing to allow Arroyo to fly.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has said the government was not violating any law and that Arroyo must be stopped from fleeing possible prosecution.
Arroyo's spokeswoman Elena Bautista Horn said the former president may attempt to leave the country again Friday.
"If the doctors allow it, it's an option," Horn told GMA television.
Arroyo, 64, ruled the country for more than nine years until last year, when she won a seat in the lower house of parliament.
Her arch-critic Aquino won a landslide presidential election on an anti-corruption platform.
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