MANILA, Philippines—The fate of the plunder case filed against former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will depend on the state prosecutors handling the case, a Malacañang spokesperson said Saturday.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said it would be up to the state prosecutors to determine whether there is probable cause to charge the former president, who is now a member of the House of Representatives, with plunder.
“The prosecutors will rule upon (the complaint) because it is in the (Department of Justice) that probable cause is determined,” she added.
Finding probable cause, Valte said, means establishing based on evidence that a crime has been committed and that the person being accused was probably involved in the commission of the crime.
“That is the mandate of the DOJ when it comes to preliminary investigation and the prosecutors will resolve the preliminary investigation and will give a resolution based on the evidence that is adduced during the preliminary investigation,” said Valte, who is also a lawyer.
Former solicitor general Frank Chavez has filed a plunder complaint against Arroyo in connection with the alleged misuse of P550 million from the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration in 2003,
But Valte wouldn’t comment on whether the plunder case against the Pampanga lawmaker would prosper to avoid allegations that the former chief executive was being subjected to political harassment.
“It has to be based on evidence. If we say at this point that (the charges may be) sustained, it would be said that the charges are orchestrated and that we are harassing her,” Valte said over state-run radio station dzRB.
Asked whether the administration is concerned that Arroyo might take on the image of an underdog after showing up at her preliminary investigation by the state prosecutors on Friday, Valte said, “We’re not concerned about that particular fact.”
“Former president Arroyo’s being at the DOJ was for her to subscribe to her counteraffidavit,” Valte said.