GMA can attend Iggy's wake

MANILA, Philippines - The Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) allowed detained former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to attend the wake of her brother-in-law Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo in Quezon City. 

But because the arrival of the remains from London, originally scheduled this weekend, was postponed, the RTC will tackle on Monday a motion filed by Arroyo’s lawyers, seeking permission for her to attend the wake at a later date.

Felda Domingo, RTC branch 112 spokesperson, said that Judge Jesus Mupas would hear both the arguments of the defense and prosecution lawyers on the motion.

Domingo said the court had originally approved an eight-hour visit today.

The wake is reportedly scheduled on March 1 to 3 at the Arroyo family’s ancestral home in La Vista subdivision, Quezon City. Commission on Elections (Comelec) prosecutors led by lawyer Esmeralda Ladra opposed a three-day furlough for the former president.

“We will argue for a three-hour visit because of security reasons,” Ladra said.

She said they would also ask the court to approve Arroyo’s furlough to attend the wake at the House of Representatives near Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City where Iggy’s remains would also be brought.

The Comelec lawyer said that the House of Representatives is more secure than the Arroyo ancestral home.

The prosecutors also want the Arroyo camp to shoulder all the expenses during her furlough, including the food of police security details.

Domingo said Judge Mupas is expected to give a ruling during Monday’s hearing.  

Iggy’s remains to arrive Tuesday

Iggy’s brother former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo said the remains of the congressman could arrive on Tuesday.

He said the delay was caused by difficulties in raising funds for his funeral and legal expenses and other administrative delays in London.

The 60-year-old lawmaker’s body has been in a mortuary for nearly a month since he died of heart attack in a London hospital last Jan. 26 while undergoing treatment as an outpatient for liver cirrhosis. 

The flag at the House of Representatives continues to be at half-mast until necrological services for him are conducted, officials said.

Arroyo said they expected his brother’s body to arrive in Manila today after at least two postponements but he got word from London of some delays.

“The mortuary and other offices do not open during weekends so we have to wait until Monday. So if all the paperwork is done by Monday, hopefully, he would fly Monday night and so by Tuesday, his body could be here,” Arroyo told The STAR. “I also heard that there are some delays in raising funds to pay for all the expenses. But I could shoulder some of them if necessary,” he said.

The London courts earlier ordered Iggy’s estranged wife Aleli to pay for his funeral expenses as well as litigation costs totaling nearly 100,000 pounds.

The funeral home, JH Kenyon and Dignity, reportedly charged fees totaling 44,000 pounds. The legal expenses reportedly amounted to 50,000 pounds.

It is, however, unclear if the costs include the repatriation of the body to the Philippines.

The court order stemmed from a legal battle over the custody of his remains between Aleli and Iggy’s long-time companion Grace Ibuna, who was with him when he died.

Justice Peter Smith of the Royal Courts of Justice in London decided in favor of Ibuna and Arroyo’s second daughter Bernardina Arroyo-Tantoco for the custody of his body.

Arroyo said he is trying to keep tabs on the legal proceedings in the Quezon City Regional Trial Court between Grace and Aleli, who reportedly wants to dispute the London ruling in the local courts.

Meanwhile, the lawyer of Ibuna said that no major problem was encountered in London despite the delay in return of the late congressman’s remains from the United Kingdom.

Leonard de Vera, however, did not specify the reason for the delay. “Flight today (Friday) moved to another date,” De Vera said in a text message, adding, “no problem.”

He said the agreement between Ibuna and Aleli on the funeral arrangement still stands.

A London court earlier allowed Ibuna to bring to the Philippines the remains of the lawmaker. A petition of Aleli for a temporary restraining order against Ibuna is still pending before a Quezon City court, but the two women made a compromise agreement on the funeral arrangements.

Aleli, who had wanted to take custody of the remains, got her wish to have a two-day wake at their conjugal home in La Vista subdivision.

The annulment case on the marriage of Aleli and Iggy is still pending before another court.

Ibuna wanted Iggy’s remains to be brought to the Arroyo family’s ancestral home also in La Vista and buried near the tomb of the lawmaker’s mother in Manila North Cementery. These, according to her, were the wishes of the deceased congressman.

Aleli did not object to these arrangements. -With Paolo Romero, Reinir Padua, Sheila Crisostomo