GMA lauds Noy for Phl growth, but...

MANILA, Philippines - Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo praised yesterday President Aquino for the impressive economic growth, but she also warned him that his anti-corruption campaign should uphold the rule of law and respect the independence of the judiciary.

The former president’s spokesperson Ma. Elena Bautista-Horn said reports that the country posted a 6.6 percent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the fourth quarter of 2012 were “welcome news.”

“Going beyond the anti-corruption campaign, President Aquino is to be commended for the latest GDP growth rate,” Horn said in a statement.

“He is on track restoring the growth of 7.9 percent where it was before the first half of 2010,” she said.

She said Arroyo, who is detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City on plunder charges, will support Aquino’s policies “that will translate such policies to poverty alleviation.”

Horn said Arroyo also shared Aquino’s commitment to integrity and stand against corruption.

She said Arroyo also fought corruption through available legal remedies including the passage of legislation, such as the Government Procurement Reform Act of 2003, Attrition Act of 2005, Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 and Prosecution Service Act of 2010.

“But the campaign against corruption must uphold the rule of law, due process and the independence of the judiciary,” she said, referring to what defense lawyers noted were various legal moves of the Aquino administration to keep Arroyo detained, as well as the impeachment of former chief justice Renato Corona last year.

“She followed the rule of law, due process, and the independence of the judiciary by respecting and implementing all court decisions, studiously avoiding any interference or comment on judicial proceedings and rulings,” Horn said.

Arroyo – armed with a Supreme Court decision – had tried to seek medical treatment abroad in the latter part of 2011 but was physically blocked by immigration agents at the airport upon orders of Malacañang, which maintained that she was merely trying to escape prosecution.

Arroyo, along with other former officials, is facing plunder charges before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly pocketing P366 million in confidential funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and is currently petitioning for bail.

She is also facing trial for alleged electoral sabotage before the Pasay Regional Trial Court.

The former leader is suffering from a degenerative disease affecting her neck bones, which is why she is detained at a government hospital. 

One witness presented

Prosecutors of the Office of the Ombudsman presented only one witness and ended the presentation of evidence yesterday on the bail hearings in connection with the plunder charges filed against Arroyo and several former PCSO officials.

The prosecutors presented lawyer Aleta Tolentino, a current PCSO board member, to prove the alleged misuse of the agency’s P366-million confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) from 2008 to 2010.   

Plunder charges were filed against Arroyo, former PCSO general manager Rosario Uriarte, former PCSO chairman Sergio Valencia, former directors Manuel Morato, Raymundo Roquero, Jose Taruc V and Fatima Valdes; former assistant general manager for finance Benigno Aguas, former Commission on Audit (COA) chairman Reynaldo Villar and COA Region V head Nilda Plaras. – With Michael Punongbayan