Court junks Gloria's bid to spend Xmas in Pampanga

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan on Wednesday denied the request of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to have a Christmas furlough in her home province in Pampanga.

In a radio interview, Renato Bocar, the anti-graft court's spokesperson, said the First Division of the Sandiganbayan disallowed for Mrs.Arroyo to spend the holidays in her home town in Lubao, Pampanga because it might be misinterpreted as being partial to the ex-Chief Executive.

"Kapag pinagbigyan ay maaaring ma-misinterpret na pagkiling...or favor sa dating Pangulo na hindi dapat na gagawin ng anumang ahensya ng gobyerno lalo na ang ating mga hukuman," Bocar said

He added that the Sandiganbayan ruled to disallow Mrs. Arroyo's Christmas leave because granting her request would go contrary to the grounds that she has been put on hospital arrest at the Veteran's Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

"Kapag pinayagan na magbakasyon sa Lubao,Pampanga, ito ay magiging pagkontra sa dahilan na kaya siya pinayagan na manatili sa VMMC," Bocar said.

Aside from Mrs. Arroyo, the Sandiganbayan also denied the similiar motions by her co-accused in the P300 million Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office plunder case--former PCSO chairman Manoling Morato, former PCSO board chairman Sergio Valencia and former assistant general manager for finance Benigno Aguas.