After being in detention since 2011, former President and current Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is probably jubilant over regaining her freedom.
READ: Supreme Court frees former Philippine President Gloria Arroyo
On Tue, Jul 19, the Supreme Court (SC) voted 11-4 favoring Arroyo’s petition seeking the junking of her plunder case.
The plunder case stems from charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman for Arroyo’s alleged diversion of PHP366 million of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) intelligence funds for personal gain between 2008 and 2010.
With that behind her, Arroyo has thanked both the SC and President Rodrigo Duterte for the outcome of her case.
“I extend my heartfelt appreciation to the honorable members of the Supreme Court for finally stopping the persecution I had unjustly gone through the last five years. My most profound appreciation to His Excellency Rodrigo Duterte for allowing due process to take its course,” said Arroyo was quoted as saying by ABS-CBN News.
It may be recalled that Duterte had said during the campaign period that he was in favor of Arroyo being released from detention.
Arroyo has been under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City for the past five years due to health reasons.
