QUEZON CITY — Media personnel have been on stand-by for two days at the main gate of the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) since the Supreme Court publicized its deliberation and acquittal from plunder case of former president and Pampanga representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
But unfortunately, none was able to take a video of her or get an interview right after her release.
Armed with assault rifles, members of the tactical motorcycle rider units of Quezon City Police District have been guarding the main gate of the VMMC since this morning.
In the afternoon, more policemen were deployed to secure the vicinity of the VMMC while waiting for the implementation of the decision of the Supreme Court to release the Arroyo from her hospital arrest.
Media personnel were also keen and vigilant to witness the release order and acquittal of CGMA from her case in connection with the alleged misuse of 366-million peso intelligence funds of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office or PCSO.
Meanwhile, some supporters of Cong. Arroyo visited her hours before her supposed release.
“As the overall head of the Pasang Masda, we’d like to visit the former president, greet her and check her condition. Fortunately she is fine. I feel sad because there was already an order but the release has been pending,” said Pasang Masda President Obet Martin.
The Arroyo camp also informed the media two of CGMA’s immediate plans of doing after her release from detention and these are to visit her constituents in Pampanga and have her medical check-up.
“What she wants to do, first item on her agenda, is to work harder because that is her work, while under detention, she is constrained by the limits on her activity because she is detained,” Arroyo’s legal counsel Atty. Ferdinand Topacio said.
The Arroyo camp also has this to say on the issue of a new charge that the Office of the Ombudsman is planning to file against the former president.
“We hope it will not be for political reasons. Because, so far there was no case successfully filed against the former president. The electoral sabotage, she was granted bail because the evidence of guilt is weak. Now, the plunder case, Supreme Court has decided to acquit her because of no sufficient evidence against her so for us new charges will just be harassment tactics,” Atty. Topacio said.
It was three in the afternoon when the promulgated decision of the Supreme Court reached the Sandiganbayan ordering the immediate release of CGMA.
The 1st Division of Sandiganbayan handling her plunder case immediately processed the minute resolution and sent it to the Office of the Ombudsman, the Philippine National Police, the lawyers of the accused, and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center through the Sandiganbayan’s sheriff.
Atty. Laurence Arroyo, counsel of CGMA, said the former president is really happy and relieved because finally she is already released from her detention after four years.
(ROSALIE COZ/UNTV NEWS & RESCUE)
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