Palace welcomes Gloria Arroyo's submission to judicial process

(Updated 2:48 p.m.) Malacañang on Thursday welcomed the decision of former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to submit herself to the judicial process when she pleaded not guilty for the electoral sabotage charge leveled against her.    “The trial can now proceed on the merits and let justice be done,” said presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda at a press briefing on Thursday, hours after Mrs. Arroyo pleaded not guilty in her arraignment at the Pasay City Regional Trial Court.   Lacierda said Mrs. Arroyo’s arraignment “brings us one step closer towards attaining closure to the many controversies that have hounded our country during the previous administration.”   “We’re glad that the arraignment has taken place. Kasi ang takot natin kapag hindi pa siya naa-arraign at nakapag-ibang bansa siya baka hindi na bumalik, tumakbo po ‘yung prescription period at hindi na siya pwedeng masakdal,” he said.   Lacierda said it is the goal of the Aquino administration to give Arroyo a day in court under a fair and impartial system of justice.   “At this time of reckoning, it is incumbent upon all of us to remain vigilant and observe this process as it unfolds. We must remain mindful of how in the past there were those who moved heaven and earth to prevent this day from arriving,” he said.   Lacierda stressed that accountability escapes no one.   “This is the very foundation of the rule of law: The scales of Justice should tip towards no one; her blindfold must continue to shield the system from being susceptible to the temptations of pandering to those with power and influence,” he said.   He expressed confidence that the electoral sabotage case against Arroyo — filed for her alleged involvement in the supposed irregularities in the 2007 midterm elections — has strong basis.   “It went through the preliminary investigation by the DOJ-COMELEC (Department of Justice-Commission on Elections) task force and after a resolution was drafted, it was again reviewed by the COMELEC en banc. So on those two processes, they have sufficient basis to file a case of electoral sabotage and there should be evidence and there is evidence pointing to that guilt of the former president,” he said.   Lacierda also expressed hope that a judgment against Arroyo will be handed before the Aquino administration ends. “We hope we will have a judgment within this term, within this administration. But, again, we leave it to the courts.”                                                                                Earlier in the day, Mrs. Arroyo pleaded not guilty to charges of electoral sabotage filed against her before the Pasay City regional trial court.   The arraignment lasted for less than 30 minutes because Mrs. Arroyo waived the reading of the charges against her during the court proceedings, her lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, said.   The pre-trial and preliminary conference on Mrs. Arroyo’s case will be held on April 19, he added. — RSJ/KBK, GMA News