GMA not expected to cast vote

MANILA, Philippines – Former president and incumbent Pampanga representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is not expected to cast her vote in the coming May 13 elections.

Tagged as Voter Number 64, Arroyo has not obtained permission to leave the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) where she has been detained since October 2012. This prevents her from casting her vote in Precinct No. 001A in Brgy. San Nicolas in Pampanga, a source directly involved in her campaign said.

Due to this, Arroyo could not go out either on Saturday, May 11, the last day of the campaign period, the source, asking anonymity, added.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials, in addition, did not confirm if Arroyo has taken advantage of absentee voting, allowing her to either vote in VMMC or in her native district in Lubao, Pampanga.

Members of the Arroyo camp refused to receive calls to confirm the situation, including Elena Bautista-Horn, Arroyo’s spokesperson, and Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, Ang Galing Pinoy representative and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s son.

Both Arroyo’s children, Mikey and Luli Bernas, are doing the campaign on her behalf in her bid for a second term in the 2nd district of Pampanga.

The former president was charged with plunder in Sandiganbayan, the anti-graft court, for the alleged misuse of a P325 million intelligence fund of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

She was granted hospital detention in VMMC after being diagnosed of a rare bone ailment on the spine.

Arroyo is against Liberal Party (LP) bet Vivian Dabu for the congressional seat. Dabu, among other issues, is questioning Arroyo’s use of her Priority Development Assitance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel.

According to DBM, pork barrel received by Arroyo during her congressional term amounted to P15 million in 2010, P30.8 million in 2011, P109.2 million in 2012 and P33.6 million in 2013. – Rappler.com