AFTER being on hospital arrest for almost four years, former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has been released, after the Supreme Court (SC) of the Philippines ruled that there is no sufficient evidence to convict her of plunder.
However, an overwhelming majority of Filipinos in America
(78 percent), who voted in The Filipino Channel’s “Balitang America” viewers online poll disagree with the ruling.
Even former President Benigno Aquino III — Arroyo’s successor and under whose term the plunder charges against her were filed before the Sandiganbayan — questioned the highest court’s ruling.
As ABS-CBN News reported, Aquino raised questions on the SC’s decision “to grant her petition for a demurrer to evidence in connection with her case involving nearly P366 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) funds.”
The highest court of the land ruled in an 11-4 vote that “there was no sufficient evidence to sustain Arroyo’s indictment for plunder and prove the existence of a conspiracy among the former president and PCSO officials, adding that the Sandiganbayan was guilty of grave abuse of discretion.”
Driven by his campaign promise of steering the Philippine government toward “Daang Matuwid” by making even the big fishes in government pay for their abuse of power and corruption while in public office, Aquino scrutinized the rationale behind the SC decision that would set his predecessor free.
Aquino contended that nowhere in the PCSO’s Charter is it stated that the agency’s funds can be reallocated for actions related to “bomb threat, kidnapping, destabilization and terrorism” or for “bilateral and security relation.”
The former president pondered on how many Filipinos could have been afforded the basic and necessary service that they deserve if the P365 million transferred to Arroyo’s office was used for its intended purpose.
“Now I ask: By ordering the release and exoneration of Mrs. Arroyo, what is the Supreme Court saying: That nothing anomalous transpired? That no crime happened? That no one should be held to account? That the funds were used properly?
“What is the recourse now of the Filipino people, when it is clear that a substantial amount of public funds did not go to the intended services, which would have alleviated the suffering of many of our countrymen?” Aquino said, as quoted by ABS-CBN News.
This writer opines that Arroyo’s legal defense was strengthened by the 2015 ruling of the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. This included the recommendation for compensation after finding that Arroyo’s human rights were violated and that she was the victim of political persecution. The fact that actor George Clooney’s wife Amal Clooney represented Arroyo could have also helped put a global spotlight on this case.
Arroyo’s counsel Lorenzo Gadon said in an ABS-CBN News report that Arroyo should go after the people who got her in this predicament in the first place.
Now that she is free, Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo looks forward to going back to work and completing her term as representative of the Second District of Pampanga.
Do you agree with the Supreme Court’s ruling that orders the release of Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and clears her of plunder?
* * *
Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
