Imelda Marcos barking up wrong tree on Arroyo, says Palace

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma: Not us, it’s the court. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang on Thursday took exception to former first lady and now Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Romualdez Marcos’ remark that former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s hospital arrest was “cruel” and “unjust.”

“President Aquino holds no ill will toward former President Arroyo. Her hospital confinement is by order of the court in recognition of her medical condition,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma.

He reminded Aquino’s critics that it was the Sandiganbayan, not the Chief Executive, that allowed Arroyo to be placed under hospital arrest.

“The one that decided her hospital confinement was the court, which has jurisdiction over her case,” said Coloma.

Prominent visitors

The former President freely receives family, relatives, friends and VIPs at her detention room at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC).

Aside from Marcos, the prominent people who recently visited her on separate occasions were former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, former President Fidel Ramos, Jesus is Lord leader Eddie Villanueva and her most vocal critic, retired Lingayen-Dagupan archbishop Oscar Cruz.

Government nurses and doctors at the VMMC are also on call 24/7 to attend to her.

“Any fair-minded individual will acknowledge that the court took cognizance of former President Arroyo’s medical condition and responded appropriately,” said Coloma.

‘Cruel and not human’

During her visit on Wednesday, Marcos lamented the continued detention of the former President.

In a brief talk with reporters, Marcos described the latter’s situation as “cruel” and “not human.”

Marcos noted the VMMC imposes strict visiting hours for Arroyo’s

family.

“She is visited only by her husband, her children, from the afternoon to 9 p.m. Then she has no one. So cruel. So unjust. Not human. I am sorry, so sad to be there,” Marcos told reporters.

Arroyo, who is facing plunder charges, has not been allowed to post bail by the antigraft court.

Arroyo underwent surgery on her spine for cervical spondylosis, a condition where bones of the neck deteriorate and cause a misalignment in the spine.