Wife flies to London to get Iggy's remains

MANILA, Philippines - The wife of the late Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo was scheduled to depart for London via Dubai last night on board an Emirates Air flight to claim and return to the country the remains of her husband.

Alicia Morales Arroyo, former chair of the Philippine Stock Exchange, and Arroyo have a marriage annulment case now pending in court, but she is still the legal wife.

Arroyo, younger brother of former first gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, died in London due to cardiac arrest while undergoing treatment for a liver ailment last Jan. 26 after the life support system attached to the congressman was removed.

Iggy and Alicia were married on March 26, 1994 at the Santa Maria della Strada Parish Church in Diliman, Quezon City and they had a daughter, Alelu, now 14.

Then Senator Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the congressman’s sister-in-law, Ambassador Jesus Tambunting, sugar trader Antonio Chan, banker Octavio Espiritu, and businessman Ricardo Pascua were among the witnesses to the exchange of marriage vows of the couple.

The couple reportedly has some P126.7 million in conjugal assets and P2 billion deposited under the controversial Jose Pidal bank account that Iggy had claimed as his.

Iggy reportedly initiated the annulment case at the Quezon City court.

He also asked Judge Rosalina Luna Pison for joint parental custody of Alelu.