Arroyo lawyer: Arraignment a step towards 'acquittal'

Thursday, February 23, 2012

MANILA (Updated 12:41 p.m.) -- Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has formally begun the quest to clear her name after she pleaded not guilty to poll sabotage charges in connection with the results of the 2007 senatorial elections.

And for the lawyer of her husband Jose Miguel, Arroyo's resolve to face the charge head on is a positive step towards securing acquittal for charges the former leader deemed as a form of revenge by the government of President Benigno Aquino III.

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"She was upbeat because she has been anticipating that the case will move forward," Ferdinand Topacio told reporters after the 10-minute hearing, which concluded early since Arroyo waived the reading of charges against her.

Topacio's observations, meanwhile, was supported by Malacañang, saying the arraignment was a step closer towards attaining closure to the many controversies that have hounded the country during the previous administration.

"It is our goal to give her a day in court under a fair and impartial system of justice. At this time of reckoning, it is incumbent upon all of us to remain vigilant and observe this process as it unfolds," Palace spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said.

Accompanied by lead counsel Benjamin Santos, Arroyo personally vouched for her innocence before Judge Jesus Mupas of the Pasay City Regional Trial Court branch 112.

The pre-trial is set on April 19, which happens to be the 75th birthday of Arroyo's political nemesis and predecessor President Joseph Estrada.

Topacio said Arroyo may skip the pre-trial, a process that aims to determine how many witnesses will be summoned and what documents will be presented by both the prosecution and defense panels.

It was an expected pleading from the incumbent Pampanga lawmaker, who has since debunked accusations that she conspired with local politicians to rig the senatorial election results in vote-rich Maguindanao province.

To recall, former Maguindanao administrator Norie Unas told the joint Department of Justice-Commission on Elections (Comelec) panel that he heard Arroyo ordering then Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. to ensure the win of administration bets in the province.

Electoral sabotage is a non-bailable offense and carries a life imprisonment term. Seen as a last-ditch effort to stop Arroyo from leaving the country to escape prosecution on other high crimes such as plunder, the case, however, took three months to reach the arraignment stage.

This developed after Arroyo questioned what it said was the "undue haste" of the court in ordering her arrest last November 18 on the basis of a complaint filed by the Comelec. Mupas ruled against the motion last January 25 for lack of merit.

"Despite the continuous and massive vilification campaign against me and my family, I have always said that I will dispute all charges in the proper forum. I am submitting myself to this process not only to clear my name but also as part of my commitment to respect and abide by the rules and orders of our courts," Arroyo, who was arraigned for the first time in a string of criminal complaints, said in a statement.

For his part, the former First Gentleman rued the alleged injustice done by the Aquino government to his wife.

"There is no case against her," he said.

Present at the hearing as well are Arroyo's sons Ang Galing Pinoy party-list Representative Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo and Camarines Sur Representative Diosdado "Dato" Arroyo, and spokesperson Elena Bautista-Horn.

Police hails smooth arraignment

More than a dozen patrol cars from the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) escorted the convoy that brought Arroyo from the presidential suite of the state-run Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) to the Pasay City court.

Tight security arrangements were followed to the letter even as some groups staged a rally near the venue to express their support for the embattled Arroyo, who wore a cream suit and neck brace during the arraignment.

"The step-by-step sequence of events was thoroughly followed which resulted in the peaceful and orderly conduct of the arraignment proceedings. All participating units diligently gave their share of ensuring that not even a single untoward incident shall happen that would put the government and the PNP (Philippine National Police (PNP) in bad light," PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said in a text message.

Among the units, which secured Arroyo's convoy are Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) teams from the QCPD, Southern Police District (SPD), Manila Police District (MPD), and the Highway Patrol Group.

Arroyo, 64, is suffering from hypoparathyroidism and bone mineral disorder, which reportedly made her bones weak and brittle.

Her health condition and security concern had convinced the court to hold the arraignment earlier than her fellow accused, Ampatuan and former election supervisor Lintang Bedol.

Ampatuan, who is also facing multiple murder charges in connection with the Maguindanao massacre in 2009, is detained at the Metro Manila District Jail (MMDJ) at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Bedol, on the other hand, is serving a sentence for contempt at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City. The two are set to be arraigned on March 19.

Earlier, militant groups and even the Comelec said Arroyo should recuperate soon so that she can be transferred to a regular detention cell. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)