Court OKs Arroyo visit to Iggy's wake at La Vista

MANILA, Philippines - A Pasay City court has allowed former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to visit the wake of her brother in-law, Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo.

Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 112 Judge Jesus Mupas granted the request of Mrs. Arroyo to pay her last respects to her late brother in-law at her residence in La Vista, Quezon City.

The court allowed Mrs. Arroyo to visit the wake tomorrow, February 25, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Mrs. Arroyo is now detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City while being tried for electoral sabotage charge.

Commission on Election (Comelec) lawyer Maria Juana Valesa, meanwhile, filed a manifestation to oppose another request of the Arroyo camp to move and extend the visit to the wake of the late legislator.

Valesa said Mrs. Arroyo's lawyers want to move the visit to March 1 and extend it to March 3.

"Hinihingi nila na si Congresswoman Arroyo na maka visit from March 1 to March 3 dahil daw resident naman sya doon sa La Vista...pero parang furlough na iyan, hindi puwede yan sa amin," she said in a radio interview.

She also argued that Mrs. Arroyo's visit should only be limited to three hours and she should not be allowed to make the visit at the La Vista residence.

"It should be only three hours and not in her residence kasi kung dadalhin din naman sa Congress yung labi eh dapat dun na lang kasi mas okay ang security doon," Valesa added.