Former president and now Pampanga congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA — The Supreme Court en banc, voting 11-4, ordered the immediate release from detention of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo after it dismissed the P366-million plunder charge against her in connection with the alleged misuse of the intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
The high court dismissed the criminal case against Arroyo and former PCSO budget officer Benigno Aguas “for insufficiency of evidence and orders the immediate release from detention of said petitioners.” It made no pronouncement on the costs of the suit.
Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te, in a press briefing Tuesday said the case has been promulgated and the decision “will have to be served first” to concerned parties to facilitate their release.
The former Philippine President has been on hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center since October 2012 following the decision of the Sandiganbayan that ordered her arrest and detention.
The 11 SC justices who voted for Arroyo’s release were:
Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr
Justice Teresita de Castro
Justice Arturo Brion
Justice Diosdado Peralta
Justice Lucas Bersamin
Justice Mariano del Castillo
Justice Jose Perez
Justice Jose Mendoza
Justice Bienvenido Reyes
Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe
Justice Francis Jardeleza
The high court justices who dissented or voted against Arroyo’s release were Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, and Associate Justices Marvic Leonen and Benjamin Caguioa. SFM/rga
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