Arroyo asks court for an hour of sunshine, exercise

MANILA, Philippines—Lawyers of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have filed a motion asking a Pasay City court, among other things, to allow her to soak in sunshine and exercise while under hospital detention.

Arroyo is facing an electoral sabotage case at the Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 112, allegedly for conspiring to manipulate the results of the 2007 senatorial elections to favor her allies. She is now under detention at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

On Tuesday, her lawyers had an omnibus motion asking that she be allowed to leave her hospital room for at least an hour daily so that she can be exposed to the early morning or late afternoon sun, and to get some exercise.

A medical certification from VMMC doctor Victoria Javier annexed to the motion validated Arroyo’s need for sun exposure due to a “Vitamin D deficiency.”

The same motion sought for a reconsideration of a Dec. 5 court ruling disallowing Arroyo from using cellphones or a laptop while under hospital detention; and in the same vein, asked that her lawyers be allowed to use laptops and other electronic devices during their visits and consultations with her.

It also asked that she be allowed to attend early morning Mass at the VMMC chapel; that she be allowed use of a radio and television set, and for the allowable period of visits to be extended from Wednesday to Sunday to Tuesday to Sunday.

The motion will be heard by Judge Jesus Mupas on Friday morning.

The motion was filed at 6:30 p.m., as court employees returned from facilitating the detention of Arroyo’s co-accused in the case, former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos, in a room at the Southern Police District Headquarters in Taguig.