69% of Pinoys don't want Arroyo to leave - poll

MANILA, Philippines - Sixty-nine percent of Filipinos do not want former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to leave the country so she can face criminal charges against her, including electoral sabotage, which is punishable by life imprisonment.

Sources privy to the results of the survey done by Pulse Asia said respondents were asked the question: “Do you agree or disagree that former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should be allowed to leave the country to be able to seek medical treatment even though there are plunder and electoral fraud cases that have been filed against her?”

Those who agreed represented 19 percent (strongly agree five percent; agree 14 percent) while 69 percent disagreed (disagree 30 percent; strongly disagree 38 percent). Twelve percent of the respondents were undecided.

On Thursday, Malacañang expressed belief that Arroyo would not get international support, saying foreign countries and entities would be the wrong forums to bring up her cause as she was also hardly enjoying any backing from Filipinos.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda also said that “based on the numbers” from the Pulse Asia survey, “we certainly welcome the sentiment of the Filipino people here that they are one with the President in the desire to see accountability occur in this administration on the past excesses of the Arroyo administration.”

“And so, this is an affirmation of the President’s belief that we are accountable to the Filipino people and if this survey is any indication of the sentiment, then it shows that the Filipino people do not wish former President Arroyo to leave the country and that she should stay to face the various charges against her,” Lacierda said.

He also welcomed the clarification made by Dick Gupwell, vice chairman of the European Institute for Asian Studies in Brussels, that he never said or inferred that the Aquino administration was being vindictive against Arroyo.

Gupwell said he was not familiar with the case of Arroyo and only made general remarks about democracy. He said it was not healthy for democratic stability if an incoming government deliberately persecuted and humiliated its predecessor and that there had to be a reasonable degree of mutual respect between both government and the opposition.

“I also said there were cases where governments did not always play according to the rules and that, where the law was broken, it was normal that justice should take its course. I referred to cases of this both in Asia and Europe. However, at no time did I relate this general consideration to the specific case of Mrs. Arroyo,” Gupwell clarified.

“Indeed, I had earlier remarked that, as far as Europe was concerned, the Philippines was ‘on the side of the angels’ when it came to democracy,” Gupwell said.

Lacierda said they were thankful for the correction and expressed belief that the Arroyo camp would not get international backing despite claims that the Aquino administration was persecuting them.

“I think (Arroyo’s lawyer) Raul Lambino is appealing to the wrong audience. He should appeal to the Filipino people for support if he can seek some support from the Filipino people. What is important here is the sentiments of the Filipino people rather than the international audience,” Lacierda said.

“As we have seen, we are not... and based on (Gupwell’s) correction that he never made a statement that this government is vindictive, it clearly shows that we are providing due process or according due process to the former president and that our program of accountability, our program of justice, will give former president Arroyo her day in court, but we need to make sure that those who have committed excesses in the past should be made accountable,” he said.

Lacierda said he was not aware of any plans to brief the diplomatic community about the current domestic developments, including the arrest of Arroyo and the raging dispute between the executive branch and the Supreme Court.

“It would be a good suggestion. If a request is made by the diplomatic community, we would be more than eager to provide them. But there are no plans yet by the Department of Foreign Affairs. I can maybe perhaps raise that with (DFA) Secretary Albert del Rosario when he comes back,” he said.

No special treatment

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome vowed to accord no special treatment to Arroyo during her confinement at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC).

“The PNP will give no special treatment to the former president,” Bartolome said over radio station dzMM.

“The former president is under detention. That is her category. She was brought there as a detainee and not to seek treatment,” he said.

He said cooking is not allowed in the suite’s kitchen because based on regulations, detainees are not allowed access to knives and other sharp objects.

He also said Arroyo, despite her being a lawmaker, would not be allowed to bring her personal security personnel to her suite.

The PNP chief added that even Arroyo’s visit to the hospital chapel should require court approval.

For Malacañang, even the former first gentleman should get clearance from the PNP for his hospital visits.

“That will have to be cleared with the PNP. From what I understand they are supposed to give a list of visitors in advance before the actual visit happens. They will just have to coordinate with the PNP on how that is to be done,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over radio station dzRB.

“Let them (PNP) implement the necessary measures and approve what must be approved,” Valte said.

Meanwhile, former President Joseph Estrada criticized the PNP for its special treatment of Arroyo while she was being moved to VMMC.

“They are giving her special treatment. They allowed her to choose the mode of transportation used in transferring from the St. Luke’s Medical Center to the Veterans (Memorial Medical Center). She is a detainee and as a detainee, she cannot dictate on the PNP and should follow the order of the court,” Estrada told The STAR. - Aurea Calica, Jose Rodel Clapano, Reinir Padua, Mike Frialde