Arroyo won’t visit parents’ grave due to poor health

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will no longer push through with the scheduled visit to her parent’s grave at the Libingan ng mga Bayani because the trip might worsen her condition, her lawyer Anacleto Diaz said Wednesday.

“Hindi maganda ang kondisyon nya so she decided to just stay and take a rest,” Diaz told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview.

“She is thankful to the Sandiganbayan for granting her request,” he said.

Diaz said when they took the Sandiganbayan order this 10 a.m., Mrs. Arroyo was still in bed.

“She has been advised [by her doctors] that the trip could give her additional stress,” he said.

On Tuesday, the Sandiganbayan First Division who is handling the plunder case against her granted her request to visit her parents at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on November 1 after government prosecutors did not object to her motion.

The Sandiganbayan on Wednesday issued instructions to the Philippine National Police regarding the security measures for Mrs. Arroyo’s November 1 trip.