SC allows Arroyo to leave hospital, vote in Pampanga on May 9

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will be able to go out of hospital detention and vote in Pampanga for the May 9 elections.

This was after the Supreme Court (SC), in a special en banc session, granted the former president's motion seeking to leave the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) and travel to Lubao, Pampanga, where she is a registered voter.

The SC said it was granting Arroyo's motion "pro hac vice... and, accordingly, petitioner Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, being herself a candidate for a national office, is hereby allowed to depart from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City under proper escort at 8 o'clock in the morning of May 9, 2016 to enable her to cast her vote in her polling precinct in the Municipality of Lubao, Province of Pampanga."

Arroyo is seeking a reelection as representative of Pampanga's 2nd District.

Arroyo was ordered to return to the VMMC in Quezon City "immediately thereafter, without fanfare or caravan."

Pro hac vice (for this occasion only) means that the order should not be considered precedent nor basis to assume entitlement to the same relief in all other cases or similar instances.

In her petition, Arroyo, who is seeking reelection as representative of the second district of Pampanga, earlier told the tribunal that the law does not disqualify a prisoner from voting during elections.

Arroyo's camp said allowing her to vote was consistent with the constitutional presumption of innocence, noting only persons convicted by a final judgment are barred from voting.

Arroyo has been under “hospital arrest” on a plunder case filed against her two years ago for allegedly conspiring to fraudulently divert P366 million in confidential intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office "for personal gain" from 2008 to 2010.

In the same SC resolution, the tribunal also allowed Arroyo to undergo dental procedures by her personal dentist, Dr. Ranny F. Reyes at Suite 404, Alexander House, 132 Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City for four days.

The SC said Arroyo would be allowed to travel from the VMMC under proper escort not later than 11 a.m. of each of the four days of her dental appointment.

Arroyo shall be returned to the VMMC "immediately upon completion of the procedures on each of the four (4) days." —ALG, GMA News