Arroyo allowed to attend brother’s burial

Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. AFP FILE PHOTO

The Sandiganbayan has allowed former President and now Pampanga representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to attend the burial of her late brother Arturo Macapagal but denied her request to attend the ninth day novena.

In a resolution released by the antigraft court First Division Thursday, Arroyo was allowed to attend the wake on Thursday, August 13 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., as well as the Mass and burial at the Heritage Park in Taguig on Saturday, Aug. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

But the court did not grant Arroyo’s request to attend the “Pasiyam” or the ninth-day Novena on Aug. 19, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at her brother’s residence in Pasig city.

The court said Arroyo should leave her place of detention at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center two hours earlier and return to the hospital immediately after the wake and the burial.

BACKSTORY: Arroyo asks court’s nod to attend brother’s burial

In a supplement to her urgent motion, Arroyo through her counsels had asked the court to allow her to attend the wake and burial of her half-brother, who succumbed to prostate cancer on Tuesday.

She said she hoped she would be given more time after the court had only allowed her to attend the wake on Aug. 11, 12, and 14 only.

READ: Sandiganbayan allows Arroyo to attend brother’s wake

“It if is not too much to ask the Honorable Court, she is hoping to attend the wake on Aug. 13 (from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) as well,” Arroyo’s counsel said.

The incumbent Pampanga representative also asked the court’s nod to attend the funeral Mass and interment rites and post-interment prayers at the Heritage Park in Taguig, as well as the ninth-day Novena at her brother’s residence in Pasig city.

The former president appealed to the court’s compassion, saying she no longer saw her brother alive when the court granted her a five-hour furlough to visit her brother on Aug. 11. Arrroyo was granted furlough in the afternoon. Her brother passed away Tuesday morning.

“She lost the opportunity to see him alive one last time when he passed away… She was a few hours too late. She could not be there for him in the last few days of his life. She is hoping to be there for him for four additional hours in his death,” Arroyo’s motion read.

“An extra day in the company of family in this moment of bereavement will help assuage the terrible pain of losing a brother to a terrible illness. On the other hand, the extra four hours will not do anyone any harm,” it added.

For its part, the prosecution opposed Arroyo’s motion, saying the Pampanga lawmaker is taking advantage of the court’s compassion.

“With all due respect, the accused has at this time taken advantage the magnanimity of the Honorable Court…  Accused takes advantage of such generous spirit of the Court which is not accorded to any detention prisoner to the point that it is appalling to even ask attendance in the interment rites, burial and 9th day Novena. She requested and was given the opportunity to be out of her detention in successions of three days, but she wants more than that,” the prosecutors said in its comment opposition.

The court ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to secure Arroyo. The court also said communication devices would be under the control of the PNP.

The court also prohibited media interviews.  The court added that Arroyo would shoulder all the expenses incurred by the PNP.

Arroyo has been under hospital detention for plunder over the alleged misuse of at least P366 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) intelligence funds for personal gain from 2008 to 2010. IDL