With pardon offer, GMA sees ‘persecution’ ending soon

MANILA, Philippines – Incoming president Rodrigo Duterte’s offer to pardon former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo meant that her “persecution” would end soon, one of her lawyers said yesterday.

Lorenzo Gadon said a “common friend” of Arroyo and Duterte visited her recently at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City where she is detained on plunder charges, and relayed to her the possibility of being granted a presidential pardon.

However, as disclosed by Duterte himself to reporters on Monday night, Arroyo declined the offer as it meant she would plead guilty to plunder, which she maintained she did not commit.

“The former president was elated. She knew that Digong (Duterte’s nickname) was expressing his sympathy, but she said more than the pardon, what she really wants is to be exonerated,” Gadon said.

“The case should be dismissed because she did not commit any crime and she is innocent. There’s no iota of evidence that she committed plunder,” he said.

Arroyo and several other former officials are accused of conspiracy to plunder some P400 million in funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. The case is now lodged before the Sandiganbayan, with most of her co-accused out on bail.

“Digong, who is aware of the political persecution (of Arroyo), has thought about issuing a pardon. It is probably his way of telling everybody that her unjust persecution will not be tolerated,” Gadon said.

He said as a former prosecutor, Duterte was probably aware the case has no merit.

Arroyo’s lawyers have elevated the case before the Supreme Court.

During her term, Arroyo appointed Duterte as her anti-crime czar.

Trial resumes next week

After three months’ lull, the Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) will resume the electoral sabotage trial of Arroyo on June 2, a court officer said yesterday.

Felda Domingo, spokesperson for Pasay City RTC Branch 112, said the court will tackle the bail petition filed by Arroyo’s co-accused, former Maguindanao election officer Lintang Bedol.

The trial of the case, which was filed in November 2011, was delayed anew last March after the court skipped the October trial due to tight schedule of Comelec prosecution lawyers.

The lawyers of Arroyo’s co-accused, the late former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., also filed a motion to dismiss the case due to the death of the accused.

Ampatuan and Bedol are accused with Arroyo in the electoral sabotage trial on alleged cheating in Maguindanao during the 2007 midterm election.

Earlier, a court source said the ongoing trial might drag beyond the term of President Aquino and last up to three to five years because of the number of witnesses and the tight schedule of both Comelec prosecutors and defense lawyers.

The prosecution has only presented three witnesses since the trial proper started due to conflicting schedules and other reasons.

During the May 2013 election, the trial was delayed for two months because of the election duties of prosecutors and witnesses.

Court records showed that since the electoral sabotage case was filed in November 2011, out of the more than 50 witnesses, only two have taken the witness stand.

At least 15 witnesses including the late Nory Unas, the former provincial administrator, testified during the bail hearings of Arroyo.

Unas, who directly implicated Arroyo in the alleged cheating, died of illness last year.

Although electoral sabotage is a non-bailable offense, Pasay RTC Judge Jesus Mupas allowed her to post bail after the prosecution failed to convince the court that there was strong evidence against the former president.

The decision of Judge Mupas was recently upheld by the Court of Appeals.

No sacred cows

There will be no sacred cows under the Duterte administration, incoming justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said yesterday.

“My marching order from presumptive president Duterte is to apply the law no matter who gets hurt,” he told ABS-CBN News Channel.

He said supporters of the incoming president, including big groups like the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), cannot expect special treatment from him.

“If we give them special treatment, then that would be selective justice,” he said. – With Perseus Echeminada, Jess Diaz

He said if Duterte gives him an instruction that is contrary to his marching order, he would try to follow it.

“If I cannot, then I will resign,” he added.

Aguirre pointed out that no one should get in the way of how the incoming leadership would carry out justice.

He echoed the warning of Philippine National Police chief-designate Chief Supt. Ronald dela Rosa: “Huwag kayong haharang-harang, sasagasaan namin kayo (Don’t block our way, we will run you down).”

On Monday night, Duterte told reporters that Arroyo should be released since all her co-accused in a plunder case have been out on bail.

He said he offered Arroyo pardon but she turned it down, since it would mean admitting her guilt.

When asked about the plunder cases of Sens. Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr., he said he would leave these to the Sandiganbayan, where they are pending.

Arroyo’s case is also pending in the Sandiganbayan.

Estrada and Revilla are in jail, while Enrile was granted bail by the Supreme Court.

Aside from applying the law impartially, Aguirre said Duterte told him to focus on eradicating or lessening corruption in the Department of Justice, National Prosecution Service, Bureau of Corrections, Bureau of Immigration, National Bureau of Investigation and Land Registration Authority.

He said he would use a “shock and awe” approach in dealing with convicts at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.

“Many of them are drug lords. I have information that they are manufacturing illegal drugs inside Bilibid,” he said.

He noted that prison officials have been continually raiding the convicts’ quarters and finding prohibited items like illicit drugs, guns and mobile phones.

This only means that Bilibid personnel are involved in bringing these items inside the prison compound, he said.

Aguirre also revealed that thousands of cases are pending with the DOJ.

“I am told that there are 20,000 motions for reconsideration that need to be resolved. They have been there for at least five years. I intend to hire 20 young lawyers just to resolve these motions,” he said. – With Perseus Echeminada, Jess Diaz