Arroyo feels ‘vindicated’ on being acquitted of plunder with finality
Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said on Thursday she felt “fortunate” she had been given a chance to clear her name, following her acquittal by the Supreme Court of plunder over her alleged misuse, when she was still President, of P366-million Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) intelligence funds.
In an ambush interview after a news briefing, Arroyo said she was “delighted” that the Supreme Court affirmed with finality her acquittal in the plunder case.
“It is truly a vindication,” Arroyo said in a statement she read out to reporters.
READ: SC junks remaining Arroyo plunder case, sets her free
Now that her cases have been dismissed, she urged the country to help the Duterte administration achieve its objectives.
“”We can now move forward and take stock of what remains to be done to help this current administration achieve its goals of giving a better life to all Filipinos,” Arroyo said.
“I am delighted with the Supreme Court decision ruling with finality my acquittal of the charges filed against me… I feel fortunate that I was given the chance to clear my name,” she added.
Last Tuesday, in a vote of 11-4, the Supreme Court affirmed its July 2016 decision acquitting Arroyo of plunder.
READ: SC affirms dismissal of Arroyo plunder cases
The plunder charge filed against Arroyo accused her of diverting P366 million in PCSO intelligence funds intended for charity use for her personal gain during her term as President from 2008 to 2010.
The high court said Arroyo’s approval of the P366-million intelligence fund releases was only ministerial and did not constitute an “overt act” to commit plunder.
READ: SC: Arroyo OK on fund release not ‘overt act’ of plunder
Arroyo was also cleared of her remaining corruption case before the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division, which granted her demurrer to evidenc in connection with the anomalous National Broadband Network (NBN) contract with Chinese firm ZTE.
In its ruling, the anti-graft court said the prosecution failed to prove Arroyo had personal gain in the NBN project, and that her cancellation of the NBN-ZTE contract in 2007 “bolsters the argument that accused (Arroyo) did not hold any interest for personal gain in the approval and implementation of the NBN project.”
The court also said Arroyo could not be held liable for breaching the code of ethics when she had lunch and played golf with ZTE officials in China, because “there was no clear and indubitable proof presented by the prosecution that accused PGMA was the recipient.”
The anti-graft court’s decision to dismiss the evidence presented against her by the prosecution effectively dismissed the last of Arroyo’s corruption cases during her nine-year administration.
READ: Sandigan dismisses Arroyo’s NBN-ZTE case
After her release from four years of hospital detention, Arroyo was elected deputy speaker in the House of Representatives. She held that position until the House leadership stripped her of it because she voted against the administration’s death penalty bill. It was during her term as President that the death penalty was abolished. /atm/rga
