Lawyers seek house arrest for Arroyo

MANILA,Philippines — The lawyers of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has filed a motion before the Pasay regional trial court to allow her to be placed under house arrest instead of the current hospital arrest, saying that she was now fit to go home.

Lawyer Jose Flaminiano also blocked the testimony of Arroyo’s doctors who were scheduled  to testify this Friday.

A television report said the court was now on a 10-minute recess to decide whether to grant the motion of the defense.

The same report said that the prosecution countered that the president be transferred to a government hospital from the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City where she has been confined for treatment of a bone disease.

Arroyo others and three others were charged with electoral sabotage of the 2007 senatorial polls.