Security tight for Arroyo arraignment Thursday

Former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

Security will be tight Thursday at the Pasay Regional Trial Court in preparation for the arraignment of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for electoral sabotage.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Alan Purisima said officers from the Pasay City Police Station and the Southern Police District will be in charge of securing the area around the trial court.

“We have sufficient policemen from the Pasay police who will be deployed in the area,” Purisima said in an interview Wednesday.

He added that the Philippine National Police’s Protective Security Personnel Office will be in charge of securing Arroyo’s transfer from the Veterans’ Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) to the trial court.

“The NCRPO can provide additional men on the day,” Purisima said.

Earlier, Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 112 Judge Jesus Mupas granted Arroyo’s plea to be arraigned earlier than her co-accused, who include former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos and former Maguindanao election supervisor Lintang Bedol.

The other respondents are expected to be arraigned on March 17.

Originally posted at 06:19 pm | Wednesday, February 22,  2012