Palace confident other Arroyo cases backed by strong evidence

By: Nestor Corrales - 11 years ago

Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. AFP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Malacanang remains confident that the charges filed by the Aquino administration against former president and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are backed by strong evidence.

“Ang sinisigurado lang naman po natin ay, katulad po ng laging utos ng Pangulong Aquino, na lahat po ng kasong isinasampa ng administrasyong ito ay dapat ho nakatayo sa matibay na ebidensya at tatayo ho ito dapat sa korte,” deputy spokesperson Abigail valte said on radio.

(What we want to be sure of is that, like what President Aquino always reminds us, all charges filed by this administration should be based on concrete evidence and could stand in court.)

Valte issued the statement after the Ombudsman cleared Arroyo on Thursday of graft charges in connection with the P728 million fertilizer fund scam.

The resolution signed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales stated that there was no evidence to establish that Arroyo had a hand in the disbursement of the funds that were allegedly channeled to her campaign kitty during the 2004 presidential elections.

Valte, however said, Arroyo has still other pending cases in court that were strong and backed by evidence.

Arroyo is currently under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City for the alleged misuse of P366 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) funds.

She is also facing an electoral sabotage case in connection with the 2007 midterm elections, graft charges for the botched National Broadband Network (NBN) project with China’s ZTE Corp. estimated at P3.95 billion, and another plunder case over the alleged misuse of the 900 million Malampaya gas fund.