Arroyo to be transported to VMMC by land this morning, says lawyer

Attorney Ferdinand Topacio INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—As former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s legal counsel, Attorney Ferdinand Topacio arrived early Friday at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Global City, Taguig, he told the media that his client would be transported to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City this morning by land.

Topacio said that Arroyo would be having breakfast at St. Luke’s, after which, they would be waiting for the Philippine National Police’s go signal for the former president’s transfer to the government hospital.

“They [PNP] run the show here. They make the conditions,” he added.

He did not say which gate they will be exiting citing security reasons for the former president and now a Pampanga representative.

Asked about Arroyo’s condition, Topacio said that she was doing fine.

“I talked to her last night and she’s OK . . . she’s a bit better, everything is fine with her,” he said.

But he added that her condition was still not normal.

Topacio said that Arroyo’s spokesperson, Elena Bautista-Horn, would give a formal statement later when she arrives.