Back to House work for GMA

MANILA, Philippines - Former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo returned to her law-making job yesterday after more than four years in detention.

In the morning, Arroyo attended a breakfast meeting Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez had with his colleagues. She was seen wearing a neck brace. She later showed up in the opening session of the House of Representatives and voted for Alvarez.

In the afternoon, Arroyo attended the joint House-Senate session for President Duterte’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA).

She had shed her neck brace and seated herself not with her House colleagues in the plenary hall but in the gallery with former presidents Fidel Ramos, now mayor of Manila Joseph Estrada, Vice President Leni Robredo, former vice president Jejomar Binay and Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

Former president Benigno Aquino III announced last week that he would not be attending Duterte’s first SONA and would just watch it on television.

Arroyo regained her freedom last week after the Supreme Court dismissed the plunder case the ombudsman had filed against her with the Sandiganbayan.

The criminal complaint arose from her alleged misuse of P366 million in intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

The ombudsman is planning to file a second plunder case against Arroyo.

Arroyo has filed several bills to support Duterte’s legislative priorities, including one that calls for Charter change to shift the nation to the federal system.