Jan 262014
 
Five Catholic bishops on Sunday visited former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at a government hospital in Quezon City, the latest among high-profile personalities to do so.

The five led a Mass in Arroyo’s suite at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, radio dzBB’s Rowena Salvacion reported.

The report said those who visited Arroyo were:

– Archbishop Rolando Tirona (Nueva Caceres, Naga)
– Archbishop Neri Odchimar (Tandag)
– Bishop Emilio Marquez (Quezon)
– Archbishop Diosdado Talamayan and Bishop Ramon Villena (Nueva Vizcaya).

During the homily, the bishops said they wanted to “share love and compassion” to someone being allegedly harassed and persecuted, the report quoted Arroyo spokesman and defeated senatorial bet Raul Lambino as saying.

Arroyo has been under hospital arrest at the VMMC since December 2011, on charges of electoral sabotage.

She has since been charged as well with plunder, a non-bailable offense.

Since the past weeks, the former leader has been visited by several high-profile personalities, including predecessor Joseph Estrada and former Vice President Noli de Castro, and former President Fidel V. Ramos.

Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz was also among those who visited Arroyo much earlier. — LBG, GMA News