Arroyo's Christmas furlough denied

MANILA, Philippines - A Pasay City court judge today denied former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's pleading to be allowed to spend Christmas with her family in her residence in La Vista, Quezon City.

Instead, Pasay City court Branch 112 clerk of court Joel Pelicano said Judge Jesus Mupas allowed all relatives of Mrs. Arroyo to visit her and hold a Christmas party in her suite at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center from December 24 to December 26.

"They are allowed to spend Christmas [at the VMMC] from December 24, 25, 26," Pelicano announced in a press briefing.

Pelicano added that the former president is still not allowed to have her own cellular phone and laptop computer inside her suite.

He said that the judge only allows Arroyo's lawyers to bring their cellular phones and laptop computers during their visit to the former president inside her suite.

Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, who represents Mrs. Arroyo's husband, said that they will respect the decision of the court.

"We respect the decision of the court if that it is decision," Topacio told philstar.com.

He said that even the lawyers of Mrs. Arroyo would also have to spend time with her during the Christmas break because of the court's refusal to allow the former president to use her own cellular phone in her suite.

"As you know there is no cellular phone inside her detention cell at the Veteran's Memorial Medical Center so we have to go there personally to tell her about it," Topacio said.

In an urgent motion, Arroyo’s lawyers asked the court to allow her to celebrate Christmas at home from December 23 to January 2.

The defense also filed motions to allow Arroyo to use cellular phones and a laptop so she can continue performing her duties as lawmaker representing the second district of Pampanga.

During a hearing last Friday, retired Manila fiscal Jose Flaminiano, one of the defense lawyers, informed the court that Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has made public a statement supporting their motion for the use of electronic gadgets.

Motions for house arrest and the recall of her warrant of arrest are also pending before the court.

Pelicano said that Mupas allowed Mrs. Arroyo's lawyers to bring their cellular phones and laptops inside the VMMC suite because the prosecution team of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) did not pose any objections.

The Comelec, however, strongly opposed the petition to allow Arroyo's use of cellular phones and laptop, as well as her request for a Christmas vacation at home.

Comelec lawyer Maria Juan Valesa said Arroyo could not be allowed to leave her suite at the VMMC citing security risks in her transfer to her residence in La Vista.