Allies of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo on Thursday appealed to the Sandiganbayan anew to allow her to be placed under house arrest as her condition remains fragile following the choking incident she experienced last month.
Former House minority leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said that allowing Arroyo to be detained at her La Vista residence may help improve her health.
“Baka psychologically makatulong sa kanya kung sa La Vista siya magste-stay,” Suarez told reporters at a news forum in Quezon City.
House independent bloc leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said the Sandiganbayan should allow Arroyo to be placed under house arrest for humanitarian reasons.
“I appeal to the good heart of our Sandiganbayan justices to allow the treatment of the former President in a hospital of her choice. For humanitarian reason, she should be [allowed to post] bail or at least be placed under house arrest,” he said.
Arroyo has been detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) since 2012 for allegedly conspiring to fraudulently divert P366 million in confidential Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office intelligence funds “for personal gain” from 2008 to 2010.
Further restrictions
In a medical abstract dated Sept. 15, VMMC medical team head Dr. Martha Nucum said Arroyo’s response to pain medications has diminished, with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) producing no actual significant clinical improvement.
Nucum has placed Arroyo under close medical monitoring following the choking incident, and has recommended continuous physical therapy of at least two times a week and sun exposure twice every day.
Suarez, who paid a visit to Arroyo two weeks ago, lamented what he said were additional restrictions imposed by the Philippine National Police on the former President.
According to the former lawmaker, Arroyo has been banned from attending Mass at the VMMC chapel, and her daily sun exposure has been cut to an hour. Visiting hours for guests have also been shortened up to 9 p.m. from 11 p.m. while her family members are no longer allowed to stay overnight in her room.
“Hinigpitan talaga ang kanyang security, pero [‘yung paghihigpit] ay nakaka-add up sa kanyang stress,” Suarez said.
No discussions yet
Atty. Raul Lambino, Arroyo’s spokesperson, said the former President and her lawyers have yet to discuss the possibility of asking the Sandiganbayan for house arrest since they want her to be allowed to post bail.
“That [request for house arrest] will be dependent upon her wishes and the advice of her lawyers,” he said.
Arroyo has undergone three cervical spine surgeries since December 2011. Based on her latest cervical X-ray last July, the former President is suffering from cervical spine radiculopathy and degenerative lumbar spine disease. —KG, GMA News
