Arroyo asks lawyers in poll sabotage case to focus on graft raps

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has asked three of her lawyers in her poll sabotage case to focus instead on the graft cases she is currently facing before the Sandiganbayan, a report aired over GMA News TV’s “Balitanghali” said Monday.

 

Lawyers Jose Flaminiano, Albert Flaminiano and Laurence Arroyo withdrew their appearance as counsels to Mrs. Arroyo before the Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 112, where the former President’s poll sabotage case is being heard, GMA News’ Mark Salazar said in the report.

 

He added that the move was based on instructions from Mrs. Arroyo herself. The former chief executive now represents Pampanga's second legislative district in the House of Representatives.

 

Lawyer Benjamin Santos will remain as the former President’s counsel in the poll sabotage case, the television report further said.

 

Mrs. Arroyo is currently detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City while facing the poll sabotage case, which was filed by the Commission on Elections last November. The former President is being accused of directing officials to rig the 2007 senatorial polls in favor of the candidates running under her slate.

 

The Office of the Ombudsman also filed last month before the Sandiganbayan two charges of graft against Mrs. Arroyo for the supposedly anomalous national broadband network deal her government entered into with Chinese firm ZTE Corp. 

 

The Ombudsman wants Mrs. Arroyo to be held accountable for allowing the government to enter into the supposedly anomalous contract in 2007 despite being “fully aware of all irregularities” in the deal.

 

Also charged by the Ombudsman were former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, former Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza, and former Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos. Incidentally, Abalos is also facing the same electoral sabotage charges as Mrs. Arroyo. — with Andreo Calonzo/RSJ, GMA News