Sandigan junks Arroyo plea against arrest–report

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan anti-graft court dismissed the motion for reconsideration filed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo against her arrest over the alleged misuse of intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Earlier, the anti-graft court ordered the arrest of Arroyo in the third corruption investigation against her, this one accused her of misusing P365 million in state lottery funds during her last years in office.

Arroyo’s lawyers questioned the charges during oral arguments, and the court suspended the arrest warrant against the former president and took a second look.

But the results of the proceedings attended by Associate Justice and Chairperson Efren de la Cruz, Associate Justices Rodolfo Ponferrada and Rafael Lagos showed that the motion lacked merit and was therefore denied.
Arroyo, now representing the second district of Pampanga at the House of Representatives, has been admitted to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center earlier in the day. She has been in and out of the government hospital for therapy for her illness after suffering from complications after three surgeries for a pinched nerve in her neck.

Television reports said police have been spotted outside the VMMC but there has been no confirmation on whether they were there to serve her warrant of arrest.

Arroyo on Wednesday filed her certificate of candidacy with the Commission on Elections’ office in San Fernando, Pampanga seeking re-election.