Arroyo, Abalos arraignment for poll sabotage set in February

Former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

MANILA, Philippines —  Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos, both charged with electoral sabotage, will be arraigned in February, a local court assigned to their case said Wednesday.

The Pasay City regional trial court Branch 112 set Arroyo’s arraignment on February 20 while Abalos is scheduled a week before that or February 13.

Pasay RTC Judge Jesus Mupas has set the arraignment after he dismissed the motion to recall the warrant for the arrest filed by the former president.

In the decision issued Wednesday, the Pasay Court said that the arguments raised by the former president were evidentiary in nature.

“Thus, it is best presented during a trial,” the court said.

This is the first criminal case in which the former President will undergo a trial.

Meanwhile, the same court dismissed Abalos’ motion for Mupas to inhibit himself from the case, saying the allegations of extortion raised by the former poll chief have no basis under Rule 137 of the Rules of Court.

In a separate decision, Mupas said under the Rules, “a judge may, in the exercise of his sound discretion disqualify himself from sitting in a case, for just or valid reasons…”

However, the court said Abalos failed to substantiate his allegations giving no room for the court to inhibit.

The two are facing separate cases for electoral sabotage before the Pasay Court for allegedly rigging the results of the 2007 elections.

Electoral sabotage is a non-bailable offense although Arroyo and Abalos filed separate motions for bail which is scheduled to be heard by the Pasay Court on January 9.