GMA cites JPE’s release, pushes for house arrest

MANILA, Philippines - Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has asked the Sandiganbayan to grant her house arrest, citing the Supreme Court’s Aug. 18 decision granting bail to Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile.

In a comment to opposition filed by Ombudsman prosecutors before the anti-graft court’s First Division, she said she, too, is not a flight risk and suffering from frail health.

Enrile, who is facing plunder charges for his alleged involvement in the pork barrel fund scam, was granted bail by the Supreme Court on grounds that his “risk of flight or escape from this jurisdiction is highly unlikely.”

The High Tribunal’s ruling said it also decided to grant temporary liberty to the 91-year old lawmaker because of his “fragile state of health” and that “continued incarceration is clearly shown to be injurious to his health or to endanger his life.”

 “President Arroyo and Senator Enrile are similarly situated,” Arroyo’s lawyers told the Sandiganbayan.

They said Arroyo “has undergone three major spinal surgeries and she has yet to fully recover from her bone and other illnesses, as certified to by veteran government doctors.”

Arroyo’s camp noted that unlike Enrile, Arroyo is not asking for bail but simply that her current custodial arrangement be modified.”

The former president, facing plunder charges for alleged involvement in the misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds, is under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center.