Arroyo seeks 4-hour furlough anew

MANILA, Philippines — Detained former president and current Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday asked the court to grant her another four-hour furlough to attend the 40th day commemoration of his brother's death on September 19.

Arroyo submitted a three-page motion requesting the court to allow her to leave detention for four hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., exclusive of travel time on September 19.

She also plans to attend Mass for her brother Arturo Macapagal's 40th day of death at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City.

"President Arroyo respectfully seeks the permission of the Honorable Court to attend the 40th day Mass, the inurnment and the post-inurnment prayers for her late brother," Arroyo's plea read.

Arroyo noted that the 40th day is meaningful to Filipinos since the said day promises that "the deceased will meet his Maker."

The former president also reasoned that the ashes of her brother will also be laid to rest at the Heritage Memorial Park on the same day.

Arroyo's camp explained that Macapagal's family decided at the last minute to defer his inurnment scheduled on August 15 and instead have it coincide with the 40th day of his death.

On August 13, the Sandiganbayan's Fifth Division allowed Arroyo to attend her brother's burial, but her request to attend the ninth day novena Mass for Macapagal was denied.

Macapagal died of prostate cancer on August 11.

Arroyo has been under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City since 2012. She faces a plunder case before the First Division of anti-graft court in connection with the alleged misuse of P366-million worth of funds from state lottery firm Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office during her tenure as a president.

In her motion, Arroyo mentioned she is not a flight risk and has no intention of fleeing.