Mike Arroyo allowed to contest indictment

Former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Sandiganbayan Second Division on Thursday allowed  Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo to contest the Office of the Ombudsman’s resolution indicting him for fraud for the alleged anomalous sale of used helicopters passed off as brand new to the Philippine National Police.

Despite the prosecution’s objection, the antigraft court gave Arroyo until Friday to file a motion for reconsideration before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Arroyo had to seek the court’s permission to be allowed to file such a motion since the Sandiganbayan already has jurisdiction over his case. The graft case over the helicopter sale was filed before the court earlier this month.

During the hearing on Thursday, the prosecution said it was objecting to Arroyo’s plea because the five-day period for filing a motion for reconsideration with the Ombudsman had already lapsed.

But Arroyo’s lawyer Edna Batacan said the criminal case against him was filed in court before he  received the Ombudsman’s resolution indicting him.

Justice Teresita Diaz-Baldos noted that under the rules, once the case is under the jurisdiction of the court, the court’s permission is necessary for the motion for reconsideration to be filed with the Ombudsman.