Sandiganbayan moves GMA's plunder hearing

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan on Wednesday moved the hearing of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's plunder case in connection with the botched $329-million national broadband network between the government and China's ZTE Corp. in 2007.

The anti-graft court's Fourth Division canceled the hearing after the defense lawyers of Arroyo asked for time to prepare for their answer to the court's decision to dismiss its petition to junk the case.

The court moved the hearing to March 20 and 21 at 8:30 a.m.

The court was supposed to hear the testimonies of four witnesses, including former House Speaker Jose de Venecia.

Mrs. Arroyo and her husband, Jose Miguel, along with former poll chief Benjamin Abalos and former Transportation secretary Leandro Mendoza were charged with plunder due the alleged anomalies in the signing of the broadband network deal in April 21, 2007.