President Aquino has ruled out a presidential pardon for former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo if she is found guilty of the corruption charges filed against her.
Mr. Aquino made the declaration in an interview with CNN correspondent Anna Coren that was aired over the news channel Friday afternoon in the Philippines.
“I think my constituents would not agree with my pardoning her and I act only on their wishes,” President Aquino said when asked if he would pardon Arroyo in the same manner that she pardoned her own predecessor Joseph Estrada.
Aside from corruption raps, Arroyo is facing the nonbailable offense of electoral sabotage before a Pasay City court.
The electoral sabotage charge is in connection with the alleged fraud for then administration candidates in the 2007 elections while the corruption case is in connection with the canceled P16-billion NBN-ZTE deal.
“We believe the cases we filed are proper and are well-evidenced,” President Aquino said. He said the administration went to court expecting a conviction.
President Aquino also touched on his views on the administration’s responsible parenthood bill now pending in Congress and the issue of the Marcoses.