Golden timeout: Arroyo asks court to attend Bro. Mike’s 50th wedding anniversary

The 50th wedding anniversary of El Shaddai leader Mariano “Brother Mike” Velarde offers former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a golden opportunity to leave a hospital where she had been detained since 2011. AFP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The 50th wedding anniversary of El Shaddai leader Mariano “Brother Mike” Velarde offers former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a golden opportunity to leave a hospital where she had been detained since 2011.

Despite her illness and reported deteriorating health, Arroyo has asked the Sandiganbayan to allow her to attend Velarde’s golden wedding anniversary.

Velarde chose Arroyo to stand as one of the principal sponsors when he renews his marriage vows with wife Belen on July 18 at Amvel City property in Parañaque City.

Erap, Imelda

The principal sponsors also include former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, former first lady and now Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.

Velarde’s golden wedding rites will be officiated by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle with Parañaque Bishop Jesse Mercado, Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani and Surigao del Sur Bishop Nereo Odchimar.

Arroyo asked for a seven-hour furlough on July 18 from the Sandiganbayan First Division where she is being tried for plunder for the alleged misuse of P366 million of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds.

Arroyo has been detained at Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City since 2011 and has since undergone three spinal surgeries.

Spiritual adviser

“Although (Arroyo) is currently suffering from a deteriorating health condition, she is nonetheless fit to travel and can withstand an hourlong car ride from VMMC to Parañaque and back,” the former President’s lawyers said in their latest petition.

“Brother Mike Velarde is not only a close friend but one of her spiritual advisers as well,” they added.

Velarde also served as spiritual adviser of Estrada when he was the president.

Aside from the usual police escort, Arroyo also asked that she be allowed to bring with her a family doctor and an emergency crew consisting of a nurse and paramedics in an ambulance equipped with advanced life support equipment.

She said she was willing to shoulder all the expenses of her police and medical escort.

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