Sandigan ordered to comment on Arroyo bail plea

THE Supreme Court has ordered the Sandiganbayan First Division to respond to the petition of Pampanga Representative and former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo which seeks to reverse its ruling denying her bid to post bail.

High court’s Information Chief Theodore Te gave the anti-graft court’s First Division 10 days to submit its comment.

In her petition, Arroyo sought the nullification of the Sandiganbayan’s October 2014 and February 2015 resolutions denying her bid for bail.

Arroyo accused the Sandiganbayan of grave abuse of discretion for denying her motions.

Her lawyer, Jose Flaminiano told the high court that detainees are entitled to bail “if their continuous confinement during the pendency of their case would be injurious to their health or endanger their life.”

Mrs. Arroyo is currently detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) because she is suffering from cervical spondylosis, a degenerative disease of the bones and cartilage of the neck.

Dr. Antonio Sison, a spine surgeon at VMMC, testified that it is not healthy to keep a patient in continued confinement in a medical facility for over a year because it is not conducive and may slow down the healing process.

Sison’s opinion was echoed by Dr. Ernesto Palanca who described the former President as a “suffering sick lady.

Dr. Martha Nucum, Assistant Chief Medical Professional staff of VMMC, and Dr. Celestino Dalisay also issued medical certificates saying Mrs. Arroyo’s rehabilitation does not show significant improvement.

Clinical Psychologist Dr. Arnulfo Lopez said Mrs. Arroyo’s treatment should include a holistic approach, meaning with family support, emotional stability and spiritual upliftment “which cannot be attained while being confined in a hospital.”

“Petitioner President Arroyo is not asking that she be restored to the pink of health. She is only asking that she be granted provisional liberty in order that she may sufficiently recover from her illnesses and to prevent her health condition from deteriorating,” Flaminiano said.

She is facing a case for plunder in connection with the alleged misuse of P366-million in intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) from 2008 to 2010.