Ombudsman to SC: Junk Arroyo plea for bail

MANILA, Philippines – The Ombudsman Office of the Special Prosecutor asked the Supreme Court (SC) to junk former President now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s plea for bail.

In a comment obtained by members of the press on Monday, September 7, public prosecutors said Arroyo’s arguments in assailing the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan’s ruling denying her bail do not apply to her plunder case.

In Arroyo’s bail petition, she argued that her hospital detention impairs her health. She further argued that she is not a flight risk.

But the Sandiganbayan division trying her had already ruled that the evidence for her guilt is strong, following a summary proceeding.

“Health reasons and risk of flight are immaterial and irrelevant consideration in petitioner’s application for bail following a finding that evidence of guilt against her is strong. Once it is established that it is so, bail shall be denied as it is neither a matter of right nor of discretion,” the 32-page comment read.

Arroyo earlier said she was in distress in the hospital, contributing to her not being able to recover.

The public prosecutors, however, said granting her bail would “violate equal protection clause of the Constitution and entail a mockery of our justice system.”

Arroyo is under hospital arrest at state-run Veterans Memorial Medical Center since October 4, 2012.

She is charged of plunder, a non-bailable offense for being punishable by reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment. She allegedly conspired with former officials of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to divert corporate funds to confidential and intelligence funds totaling P366 million.

The government lawyers also argued that Arroyo’s hospital arrest was already a humanitarian consideration as she should have been committed to a regular jail. – Rappler.com