Malacañang is hoping that the filing of other cases against former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would be forthcoming after she was slapped with electoral sabotage raps last week.
“Arrest in (the) first case is the beginning of the process. We are hopeful the filing of other cases being reviewed by the Ombudsman will also be forthcoming,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. told The STAR.
Coloma was reacting to questions about whether President Aquino’s statement last Saturday that the “process has just started” means that more cases would be filed against Arroyo.
Upon arriving from Bali, Indonesia last Saturday, Aquino said the process that Arroyo has to go through in facing the charges against her has begun.
“Let me stress that the process has just started. It’s heartening to know that even if we are just starting and even if I am out of the country, you are behind me especially in this issue. I know that I am not alone,” he said.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said it remains uncertain if the cases against Arroyo would be resolved within Aquino’s term.
“The Executive is not the only one involved in this case. We have another branch of government that is in play and that is the judge handling the case,” she added.
Arroyo is now facing at least six plunder raps before the Office of the Ombudsman and the Justice department, which were filed by different groups since she stepped down from Malacañang last year.
hese cases were connected to the supposedly anomalous $329-million national broadband network (NBN) deal with China’s ZTE Corp., the alleged misuse of funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and the fertilizer fund scam which involved the channeling of P730 million in state funds to Arroyo’s presidential campaign in 2004.
Cases were also filed in connection with the supposed diversion of P550 million kept by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to PhilHealth during the 2004 election campaign and the Arroyo administration’s alleged failure to remit the P72-million capital gains tax from the sale of the old Iloilo City airport to Megaworld.
Legal battles
Anticipating a tough legal grind after it was reported that Arroyo’s camp will question the constitutionality of the Department of Justice (DOJ)-Commission on Elections (Comelec) joint panel at the Supreme Court, Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño urged the Ombudsman’s office to already file a plunder case with the Sandiganbayan.
He also urged the Ombudsman to reject Arroyo’s motion to be given more time to answer the charges in connection with the $329-million NBN-ZTE deal.
He said they would file an urgent motion asking the Ombudsman’s office to now resolve the case and file charges against Arroyo with the Sandiganbayan.
“The Filipino people have waited long enough. In fact, the Ombudsman already allowed GMA an extension to file her counter-affidavit due to her illness but that should be sufficient time already,” he said.
Casiño noted that there is another plunder case, filed by former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez, that is pending with the Ombudsman’s office.
Chavez’s complaint is in connection with the P728-million fertilizer scam. Two Senate investigation reports have held then President Arroyo liable for misuse of the money.
Casiño lauded the DOJ and the Comelec for filing an election sabotage complaint against Arroyo last Friday.
“But the work has just begun. Arroyo’s camp will try to sabotage the DOJ-Comelec complaint. Already, they are questioning the court’s jurisdiction, claiming it should be the Sandiganbayan that should handle the case,” he said.
To expel or not to expel
Casiño added that he and his militant colleagues would seek the expulsion of Rep. Arroyo from the House the moment she is convicted of or pleads guilty to the crime of electoral sabotage.
He said the House should consider withdrawing the travel authority it gave Arroyo.
But Rep. Walden Bello of Akbayan said he would want the House to immediately expel the former president even without conviction.
However, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said Arroyo would keep her seat, as well as the perks and privileges of her office, in the House of Representatives while being tried for alleged electoral sabotage.
Palace mum on GMA’s place of detention
Malacañang also refused to comment on where to detain Arroyo, saying this would have to be decided on by the courts. Arroyo was ordered arrested last Friday by the Pasay Regional Trial Court in relation to her poll sabotage case.
Valte said it’s up to the lawyers of the former leader to decide whether they would ask the court to place the former president under hospital arrest. She has been confined at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City since Tuesday.
“The representation of the former President will have to seek the approval of the regional trial court on the matter of the hospital arrest,” she said.
Militant groups trooped to St. Luke’s yesterday to urge authorities to detain Arroyo in a jail facility so she would not receive special treatment.
The protesters said they want the former leader jailed so she would experience the plight of those who were illegally detained under her term.
Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, on the other hand, said Arroyo should be confined in a government hospital.
Estrada said an accused “who has committed grave misdeeds” should not be allowed to dictate where he or she wants to be detained.
The Southern Police District has prepared an air-conditioned detention facility for Arroyo in case the court orders her transfer from the hospital.
Senior Superintendent James Bucayu said he has already asked the district’s office for police community relations to be converted into a detention cell to accommodate the former president.
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care executive secretary Rodolfo Diamante said he does not object to the former President being placed under hospital arrest or even house arrest because of her medical condition.
But he said Arroyo should not be the only one who should receive “special treatment,” since there are several inmates who have grave health problems and in need of medical care.
Palace officials were also mum on whether Arroyo’s mug shots should be made public.
“We have not discussed that,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a text message.
Coloma said they would leave the matter to the court.
“According to PNP (Philippine National Police) chief (Director General Nicanor) Bartolome, the proper procedure is for PNP to turn over the mug shots and booking documents to the court. We will leave it to the court’s sound discretion to decide on the proper action,” he said.
In 2001, the mug shots of deposed President Joseph Estrada, who was charged with plunder, was made public. - With Jess Diaz, Evelyn Macairan, Aie Balagtas See, Michael Punongbayan, Jaime Laude
