Sandigan lets Arroyo attend grandson’s wake

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines –The Sandiganbayan first division on Tuesday denied former President Gloria Arroyo’s request for house arrest to grieve the death of her one-year-old grandson.

In a resolution released Tuesday, the anti-graft court meanwhile allowed Arroyo to attend the wake daily from November 4 to 9 from 1 p.m to 10 p.m. and during the interment on November 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Arroyo’s grandson Jorge Alonzo “Jugo” Arroyo Bernas died age one due to a congenital heart problem.

The Philippine National Police was ordered to provide security escorts.

The PNP will transport Arroyo not earlier than 12 noon and bring her back to he Veterans Memorial Medical Center not later than 10 p.m. for the wake.

The court also said the police should transport Arroyo for the interment not earlier than 7 a.m. and bring her back not later than 3 p.m.

The police will then bring back Arroyo to the hospital after her allowed pass for the wake and interment.

The wake and interment of Arroyo’s grandson from daughter Luli Bernas-Arroyo will be at the Forbes Park, Makati.

The PNP will also secure communication and electronic devices of Arroyo and other visitors of the wake and burial, the court said.

The media will not be allowed to conduct interviews, it added.

Arroyo will be the one to shoulder all expenses for the visit, the court said.

The former president was granted a two-hour pass Monday night to visit the wake but her grandson was already cremated by then.

Arroyo is under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center while facing plunder charges over the alleged misuse of intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

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