'Courts to decide on GMA cases'

Manila, Philippines - Malacañang dismissed concerns yesterday former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo might turn out to be an “underdog” and earn sympathy from the people as the cases against her pile up in the courts.

Arroyo made an appearance at the Department of Justice (DOJ) last Friday to subscribe to a 58-page affidavit countering the plunder charges filed by former Solicitor General Frank Chavez.

The case is one of the five similar ones pressed against her last year.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over government-run radio dzRB there is no reason to think that Arroyo might end up looking pitiful because of the charges against her.

Valte said Arroyo had no choice but to appear at the DOJ to subscribe to her counter-affidavit because that was required under the rules of procedure.

“It must be done personally, not in absentia. So, at least, we know that she has filed her counter-affidavit. Let’s just wait for the movement from there,” Valte said.

She said the Palace could not ensure that the cases would be sustained because everything would have to be based on evidence.

“We cannot say because if we say at this point that these (cases) will be sustained, they will say they are orchestrated or she is being pinned down,” she said.

She added it would be up to the prosecutors to make a ruling and the DOJ would determine if there was probable cause to indict her.

She said it would be up to the DOJ to decide whether it had jurisdiction over the case that was first filed before the Office of the Ombudsman.

“They are the ones who have the authority to resolve that, and then it will get elevated to the courts (if probable cause is found),” Valte said.