GMA court appearance off limits to media

MANILA, Philippines - Due to space limitations, the media would be barred from the courtroom when former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her co-accused appear at the Pasay City Regional Trial Court branch 112 to sign the pre-trial order on Jan 31.

A court official said reporters and photographers would be restricted to the Pasay City Hall grounds when the Pampanga representative and two accused in the electoral sabotage charge – former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and former election officer Lintang Bedol – are brought to court under heavy security.

Arroyo, Ampatuan, and Bedol were charged with electoral sabotage in connection with the alleged cheating in the May 2007 senatorial elections in Maguindanao.

Arroyo, who was granted bail by Judge Jesus Mupas, was rearrested for a separate plunder case filed against her at the Sandiganbayan. She is currently detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

Ampatuan is detained at the Bicutan Detention Center in Taguig while Bedol is detained at the Camp Crame Custodial Center in Quezon City.

The simultaneous appearance of the three accused is expected to create security problems at the Pasay City Hall.

Mupas had issued a subpoena ordering Arroyo and her co-accused in the electoral sabotage case to personally appear in court on Jan. 31.

Felda Domingo, spokesperson for the Pasay RTC branch 112, said although Arroyo has signed a waiver for non-appearance in the hearing, court rules dictate that an accused must personally appear to sign the pre-trial order.

The prosecution has insisted that Arroyo and other accused personally appear in court.

This will be the second time that Arroyo will appear in court after her arraignment early last year.