Government has ‘strong’ case vs Arroyo

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III is confident the government has a strong case against former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was arrested for plunder last Thursday.

The non-bailable charge filed against Arroyo was in connection with the alleged misuse of P365 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) funds during her term as president.

Sought for comment, Aquino said "we will not file a case that has no substantial evidence."

"We are not superficial to just file a case that in the end would put us to shame because it is weak," he added.

The Chief Executive said the government, through the PCSO, thoroughly prepared and studied the plunder case against Arroyo and her nine other co-accused.

"Before, we were criticized why we took so long to file cases against her. It's because we prepared very well so that the people who disobeyed the law will be held accountable," he said.

Aquino believed that the plunder case could lead to the final conviction of the former leader, who is facing a separate case of electoral sabotage.

Arroyo was put under hospital arrest again at the Veteran's Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) since the police served the arrest warrant on her Thursday.

She returned to the VMMC Thursday morning for her regular therapy session but was advised to be admitted after complaining numbness of several parts of body. Arroyo's doctors said she was suffering from dehydration and hypertension.

Previously, Arroyo was detained the same hospital for an electoral sabotage charge filed by the Commission on Elections. She was given temporary freedom after posting P1 million bail.

Aquino cast doubt on the health condition of Arroyo since the former President has apparently been traveling and has been well before the Sandiganbayan ordered to re-arrest her. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)