MANILA, Philippines — Habang dinidinig ang kasong graft kaugnay ng NBN-ZTE deal noong 2007, 90 araw suspendido si dating Pangulo Gloria Macapagal Arroyo bilang kinatawan ng Pampanga.
"Accused Ma. Gloria M. Macapagal Arroyo is ordered suspended from office pendente lite and said accused is hereby directed to desist from performing and/or exercising the functions and duties, as well as receiving and/or enjoying the salaries, benefits and privileges of her present public position or any other public office [she] may now or hereafter be holding," nakasaad sa kautusan ni Associate Justice Gregory Ong ng anti-graft court Fourth division.
Iniutos din ng korte kay Speaker Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte na ipatupad kaagad ang suspesyon ng kongresista.
Isinangkot ang dating Pangulo sa kontrobersya ng Philippine National Broadband Network o NBN noong 2007 matapos igawad ang $329 milyon kontrata sa Chinese telecommunications firm na ZTE.
Kasalukuyang naka hospital arrest si Arroyo sa Veterans' Memorial Hospital sa Maynila.