A Catholic bishop on Tuesday urged the public to respect the decision of the Supreme Court acquitting former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from plunder charges.
READ: SC orders release of Arroyo
Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani said the decision only meant that there was no sufficient evidence to convict Arroyo of the crime being she was being accused of.
But Bacani noted that the acquittal did not clear the former president of any wrongdoing.
READ: Ombudsman insists Arroyo guilty of plunder in PCSO case
“Dapat nating igalang ang desisyon ng Supreme Court. Alam mo ang desisyon na ganyan ay hindi nangangahulugan na hindi ginawa ng tao ‘yung isinakdal sa kanya kundi nangangahulugan lamang na hindi napatunayan sa harap ng Korte na ginawa niya talaga ‘yung ipinararatang sa kanya,” Bacani said over church-run Radyo Veritas.
(We must respect the Supreme Court’s decision. You know, a decision like that doesn’t mean that the person isn’t guilty of the charges against her; it just means that what she was accused of doing wasn’t proven to be true in court.)
READ: Human rights group hits Aquino for failing to convict Arroyo
“So in another words it does not mean na she did not commit any wrong but what it means is that she was not proven committing any wrong,” he added.
In an 11-4 vote, the high tribunal granted Arroyo’s petition seeking the dismissal of her remaining plunder case at the Sandiganbayan for the alleged misuse of the P366-million Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) fund.
READ: SC: Evidence vs Arroyo insufficient; see how justices voted
Arroyo was arrested in 2011 on electoral fraud charges in connection with the 2007 polls, but was allowed bail in 2012. But even before she could be freed, the Sandiganbayan ordered her arrest for plunder over the alleged misuse of P366 million in intelligence funds of the PCSO under her watch as President.
READ: Arroyo faces new PCSO plunder complaint, lawyer says
In a statement, Arroyo on Tuesday expressed her gratitude to the SC for the favorable ruling and to President Rodrigo Duterte for “allowing due process to take its course totally unhampered.” She has yet to be released from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center where she has been detained for four years. JE
READ: Arroyo on acquittal: Justice, righteousness prevailed | Arroyo may have to wait ‘til Wednesday to walk free
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