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Malacañang on Friday said it respects the decision of a Pasay court to allow former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to stay longer at the Veterans Medical Memorial Center in Quezon City.

 

“We respect the decision of Judge (Jesus) Mupas for the continued stay of CGMA (Arroyo’s initials) in the hospital, having relied on the medical opinion of her attending physician and with due accord to her position as former president,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a text message to reporters.

 

Mupas on Thursday decided not to order Mrs. Arroyo’s transfer to an ordinary detention cell after doctors from the public hospital said she needs more time to recover from her illness.

 

The court further ordered the VMMC management to submit a list of their expenses related to Mrs. Arroyo so that it could decide whether or not to allow her treatment outside the hospital

 

Earlier, the Commission on Elections moved to have Mrs. Arroyo transferred to a regular detention facility after noting her health has improved.

 

Mrs. Arroyo is currently facing a poll sabotage case before the Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 112 for her alleged involvement in anomalies during the 2007 midterm elections. She has been staying at the VMMC since Dec. 9 last year, after she was moved there from the St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News