Gloria Arroyo marks 66th in hospital

Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will celebrate her 66th birthday Friday at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) where she has been under hospital arrest since October last year.

Arroyo is expected to receive 50 or more well-wishers at a party to be held in the presidential suite.

A source said the celebration will begin with a Mass at 10 a.m. to be followed by lunch in the presidential suite with her invited guests.

The celebration was approved by VMMC director Dr. Nona Legaspi and the Police Security Protection Group, which has jurisdiction over Arroyo’s security.

Policemen will be deployed in and around the hospital compound to ensure that only guests will be allowed inside the presidential suite, the source added.

Arroyo was placed under hospital arrest after being charged with plunder in the Sandiganbayan for the alleged misuse of P325 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office intelligence funds.