Palace assures security during Arroyo visit to Iggy's wake

MALACAÑANG respects the Pasay City Regional Trial Court’s (RTC) decision to allow Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to attend the wake of her brother-in-law, late Negros Occidental Representaive Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, in an interview over a state-run radio station, also assured that necessary security will be provided to the lawmaker, who has been under hospital arrest for an electoral sabotage case.

"We respect the decision of the RTC to give the former President the chance to sympathize with her family because of the death of late Congressman Iggy Arroyo," she said.

Valte added the Philippine National Police and the Department of Interior and Local Government have prepared the security requirements in compliance with the court's decision to grant Arroyo's motion to attend the wake.

But she said some details were still being threshed out regarding the former President's presence in the wake, as well as on the arrival of the remains of the late congressman, who died in the United Kingdom while he was undergoing treatment.

The Pasay City court is also set to hear Monday an amended appeal by Arroyo to stay in her house in La Vista subdivision in Quezon City for three days to attend to the wake of her brother-in-law.

Arroyo, who has been detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, has been facing the non-bailable case of poll fraud in relation to the 2007 senatorial elections.

She entered a not guilty plea during her arraignment last week. (SDR/Sunnex)