Gloria attends Iggy's funeral mass

MANILA, Philippines - Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrived this morning at La Vista Subdivision in Quezon City to attend the funeral mass of her brother-in-law, Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo.

Heavily-guarded, Mrs. Arroyo was escorted from her detention cell at the Veteran's Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) to La Vista. She arrived at the subdivision 20 minutes later.

According to lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, one of the legal counsels of the Arroyos, Mrs. Arroyo will only be staying for a few hours at La Vista.

Topacio said Mrs. Arroyo will not be joining the other members of the Arroyo clan at the Manila North Cemetery where the late legislator would be buried.

Right after the funeral mass, which is expected to finish in an hour, she will be immediately brought back to her detention cell at the VMMC, the lawyer added.

Earlier, the Pasay City Regional Trial Court allowed Mrs. Arroyo to attend the funeral mass at La Vista.

The court, prior to granting her second request, had already allowed her to attend the wake of the late lawmaker at La Vista.

Mrs. Arroyo is facing electoral sabotage case before the Pasay City court for her alleged involvement in the massive poll fraud in the 2007 national elections.