The House Independent Bloc led by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has rallied behind a resolution filed in Congress calling for the house arrest for former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Romualdez said he was hopeful that Arroyo would be finally allowed soon to stay at her residence at La Vista Subdivision in Quezon City or in Lubao, Pampanga pending the resolution of her plunder case.
Romualez was referring to House Resolution 1908, of 1-BAP party-list Rep. Silvestre Bello III, that seeks to express the sense of the House to allow Arroyo house arrest due to her debilitating medical conditions as per advised of her doctors.
At least 80 lawmakers have already signed HR 1908, said Bello as a number of lawmakers would want a humanitarian consideration for Arroyo.
Bello, a former justice secretary, said he believes that by placing the ailing Arroyo under house arrest at her residence at La Vista Subdivision in Quezon City “will help a lot to improve her poor health condition.”
Besides, Romualdez said the ailing Arroyo has not yet been convicted of any crime.
Romualdez and his group had earlier visited Arroyo at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center.
The group said that Arroyo lamented her plight, saying the former leader does not want anybody to suffer the same fate as that of her.
Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza stressed detention is not something Arroyo would wish on political enemies and critics
“Ang sabi namin [kay Mrs. Arroyo]: ‘Malapit na siguro kayong lumabas. Ang bilis ng panahon.’ Somebody then said, ‘Magbalut-balot na kayo, ma’am, dahil marami nang papalit sa inyo dito,’” Atienza said as he recalled a conversation he had with the former leader and other lawmakers during their visit to her recently.
The amused lawmakers tried a light conversation about Arroyo being at the VMMC for nearly three years, the former president said in serious tone that that is not something to be joked about.
“You know what the former President said in a very serious tone? ‘I don’t even want to joke about it because I don’t want any of them to suffer the same sad, tragic and painful experience I have—which I’m still experiencing. I hope and pray no one will replace me here,’” Atienza said, quoting Arroyo.
Atienza added, “Dito niyo makikita ang pagkatao nitong ating [dating Pangulo] that she doesn’t want anyone to suffer what she went through in detention. That’s very Christian, very statesmanlike, and very sincere.”
Arroyo even wished that there should be no one else at all to take her place at the VMMC because that was never easy, Atienza said.
Abakada party-list Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz said he was also hopeful that the court will be able to grant the petition of the Arroyo camp.
Arroyo was facing a plunder case over the alleged misuse of P366 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office intelligence funds during her term as President.
Doctors of Arroyo had earlier said the former president had continued to lose weight because of her esophageal stenosis or the narrowing of the esophagus resulting in recurrent dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing of solid food.
Arroyo also has been complaining of cervical radicular and low back pain.