MANILA, Philippines – He saw her arrest as a fruit of his anti-corruption campaign, and now President Benigno Aquino III is frustrated a Pasay court allowed former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to post bail for her electoral sabotage case.

Aquino claimed the court’s presiding judge, Jesus Mupas, has particularly high standards. He noted Mupas allowed Mrs Arroyo to post bail because no other evidence can corroborate the star witness’ testimony.

“Unsupported by other evidence to corroborate such testimony, the same could not be given such weight and probative value that will be sufficient to establish a strong evidence of guilt on the part of accused Arroyo,” Mupas said in his 7-page ruling on Mrs Arroyo’s bail petition.

Unas, previously the right-hand man of former Maguindanao Gov Andal Ampatuan Sr, said he heard Mrs Arroyo instruct Ampatuan to rig the 2007 elections. “Dapat 12-0 sa Maguindanao, kahit pa ayusin o palitan ninyo ang resulta,” Mrs Arroyo allegedly told Ampatuan. (It should be 12-0 in Maguindanao in favor of the administration, even if you have to manipulate the results.)

‘No one else’

Who else could corroborate such testimony, Aquino asked.

“Alangan naman nating isipin na magbibigay ng testimonya ‘yung dalawa laban sa sarili nila,” Aquino said, referring to Mrs Arroyo and Ampatuan, who are both accused in the electoral sabotage case. (It looks unlikely that the two will testify against themselves.)

He said only Unas, then, is likely to testify.

“Paano kaya tayo magkakaroon ng corroborative (testimony)? Medyo ang taas naman yata ng test na parang imposibleng ma-attain dahil wala na ngang ibang nakarinig noong kanilang usapan tungkol doon sa isyu ng electoral fraud,” the President said.

(How can we have corroborative testimony? It looks like the standard is too high and hard to attain, because no one else heard their conversation regarding the issue of electoral fraud.)

Unas’ credibility

What Aquino failed to mention is the Pasay court’s issue with Unas himself. The star witness’ credibility “is seen by the court to be tainted with doubt,” Mupas’ ruling pointed out.

In a press conference, court spokesperson Felda Domingo cited Unas’ admission that he testified “because of the condition that he will be exempted from any criminal charges against him.”

“From that statement, the court doubted his testimony,” Domingo explained.

In a hearing on Mrs Arroyo’s bail petition, Unas also admitted he did not actually witness election fraud in 2007.

Critics claim the electoral sabotage case is weak to begin with.

Nevertheless, Aquino remains hopeful about another non-bailable case against Mrs Arroyo – a plunder charge before the Sandiganbayan, for which the anti-graft court held a hearing Thursday, July 26.

The Sandiganbayan, however, has not arrested Mrs Arroyo for this case, with her lawyers having filed a motion to suspend proceedings and the issuance of a warrant of arrest. She is now in Tagaytay to seek alternative treatment. – Rappler.com

For related articles, read:

• Timeline: Arroyo and her electoral sabotage case
• TIMELINE: The Arroyo Saga
• Sandiganbayan: Why was Arroyo released?
• Arroyo bail: Forgive and forget?
• Arroyo, 9 others charged with plunder
• Comelec broke rules to charge Arroyo
• Graft court summons Arroyo doctors
• Court stops plunder hearing vs Arroyo
• Witness vs Arroyo credible, says Comelec