Arroyo asks court to let her stay at home on New Year

MANILA, Philippines–Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo asked the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 112 to allow her a New Year furlough.

Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said they asked the court to allow the now Pampanga Representative to be at home from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2.

“For humanitarian reason, the court should allow her a New Year furlough,” Topacio said over the phone.

At the same time, Topacio said they filed for a separate motion asking that Arroyo be allowed to post bail.

“There is actually no such thing as ‘non-bailable offense’ because it is upon the court’s discretion to allow an accused to post bail or not,” Topacio said.

The Pasay Court set the date for Mrs. Arroyo’s motion to post bail on Jan. 9.

Arroyo is facing a case for electoral sabotage for allegedly rigging the results in Mindanao to favor senatorial candidates of her political party.