Arroyo asked to clarify venue of Iggy’s wake she wants to attend

MANILA, Philippines—The camp of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should clarify which wake of her late brother-in-law, Negros Occidental Representative Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo, she intends to attend, a Commission on Elections official said Saturday.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the request of Arroyo for a Pasay City court to allow her to attend Iggy’s wake was vague and should be clarified.

“We need the details because the request was very vague. Her request is to go attend the wake but what if the wake is… I don’t know… in Hong Kong? So, does that mean she will have  to travel? What if the wake is in Negros?” Jimenez said.

“We don’t know the exact dimension of this request of hers for provisional freedom so we want her to clarify it first,” he added.

The former President, who is now a member of Congress but is detained in a Quezon City hospital pending trial on a charge of electoral sabotage, has asked the Pasay City Regional Trial Court to allow her to visit the wake of her brother-in-law, who died in London due to a lingering illness.

His estranged legal wife Aleli Arroyo was supposed to bring home his remains on Saturday, but Iggy’s live-in partner, Grace Ibuna, had reportedly stopped her and insisted that his remains be cremated in London.

Jimenez said they wanted the former President’s request clarified so that the government could prepare the logistical and security requirements needed should Arroyo be allowed to travel.

“We want to make sure that it’s clear because, if you remember, every time that she goes out, we incur costs for security, logistics…. She can’t go there alone. Someone must be assigned to her, so their request should be clear,” Jimenez said.

“In principle, it is also hard to say if (the court would) allow it or not because it all depends on the circumstances of that because you can expect that if they say I want to attend the wake, the next thing they will say is that I want to attend the burial,” he said.

“So, this could (lead to more requests) so we need to be specific as early as now,” he added.

Arroyo has been under hospital arrest since Nov. 18 after she was charged with electoral sabotage for her alleged role in election fraud during the 2007 national elections.