GMA wants to be excused from trial proceedings

MANILA, Philippines - Heeding the Sandiganbayan’s earlier proposal, former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has asked the anti-graft court to allow her to be excused from trial proceedings. Through her lawyers, Arroyo filed a waiver of appearance before the Sandiganbayan Second Division last week, informing the anti-graft court of her intention not to be present during hearings except when necessary.

The former president is facing graft charges for her alleged involvement in the national broadband network (NBN) deal anomaly. Sandiganbayan Second Division chairman Gregory Ong had suggested this during Arroyo’s arraignment more than two months ago.

Ong and Associate Justices Jose Hernandez and Maria Cristina Cornejo urged defense lawyers to consider waiving the rights of their client to be present during trial in order to save on government resources.

The proposal was anchored on the fact that it would take a lot of preparation to provide security for the former president whenever she is allowed to leave the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) where she is detained for a separate case of electoral sabotage. 

Arroyo is still undergoing physical therapy to address the recurring back and neck pains triggered by prolonged sitting, her doctor said yesterday.

In a medical report submitted to Pasay Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Jesus Mupas, Rafael Javier said Arroyo has no additional complaint aside from the previously mentioned attacks of intermittent neck and back pains.

The report said that Arroyo has received regular maintenance physical therapy at least three times a week and her pain is made more manageable with intake of medication. 

Antonio Sison, VMMC orthopedic consultant, testified that after three major surgeries at the St. Luke’s Medical Center, Arroyo is not completely cured and needs close supervision on her daily therapy. 

‘Resolve Arroyo’s cases ASAP’

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna party-list Representatives Teddy Casiño and Neri Colmenares yesterday filed an urgent motion before the Ombudsman to resolve the plunder and malversation cases they filed against Arroyo.

They said the filing of a plunder charge against Arroyo with the Sandiganbayan would ensure that she stays in “jail” at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

They said though the former leader is detained in connection with an electoral sabotage case pending with a Pasay City court, she has petitioned for bail and is hoping to enjoy freedom again.

They added that the right to bail is not available in a plunder case.

The plunder complaint was an offshoot of a Senate investigation into alleged financial irregularities at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) during the time of Rosario Uriarte as general manager.

Uriarte told the Senate that some P150 million to P350 million in PCSO funds were diverted to the agency’s intelligence budget upon then President Arroyo’s approval.

She said the funds could no longer be traced since they were treated and spent as intelligence money, which under government auditing rules, need not be accounted for in detail.

Casiño and Colmenares said they filed their complaint ahead of the case involving the aborted $329-million national broadband network (NBN) contract with Chinese firm ZTE Corp. “The NBN-ZTE case is now being heard at the Sandiganbayan, and we also want the PCSO case to be resolved soon considering that it is for plunder,” they said.

The two lawmakers said they believe that the evidence against Arroyo is strong since her co-accused Uriarte had admitted the fund diversion under oath. – Jess Diaz, Perseus Echeminada