MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito aired his support for granting house arrest to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on humanitarian grounds.
Ejercito said that he is also supportive of any move to allow the former President and now Pampanga congresswoman to seek medical treatment overseas on the same basis.
“I guess it’s about time. She has already served three or four years in detention. Given her condition, very frail, a lady at that, I have no objection,” Ejercito said during the Pandesal Forum in Quezon City yesterday.
He said patients should be allowed to decide who should treat them and where they want to be treated.
The United Nations recently ruled that Arroyo’s continued detention violates international law.
Arroyo’s case was presented before the UN by lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney, who argued that the former President’s detention was arbitrary and that the charges against her were unproven and politically motivated.
Ejercito said he would go as far as signing any resolution filed to grant the former President house arrest.
Ejercito’s father is former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who was granted house arrest while on trial for plunder. Arroyo immediately pardoned him after he was convicted.