FORMER president and now Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of Pampanga province did not enter any plea during her arraignment on Monday at the Sandiganbayan.

Mrs. Arroyo sat quietly as justice Efren de la Cruz read the charge that she had plundered P366 million in state lottery funds during her time as president. De la Cruz then ordered the clerk of court to enter a not guilty plea on her behalf.

The Office of the Ombudsman alleged that the former leader, now a representative of the second district of Pampanga, diverted funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) along with other lottery and Commission on Audit officials between 2008 and 2010.

Mrs. Arroyo’s lawyer, Anacleto Diaz, said that the former president has a pending petition for certiorari at the Supreme Court.

 “If Mrs. Arroyo had entered a plea, it’s as if the defense has already recognized the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan over Mrs. Arroyo which we are challenging in the first place,” Raul Lambino, Arroyo’s legal spokesman, said.

Flanked by her sons Diosdado “Dato” and Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo and husband Jose Miguel
“Mike” Arroyo , Mrs. Arroyo arrived early at the Sandiganbayan wearing a neckbrace and a pink shawl. After the arraignment, the former president was immediately brought back to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center where she is presently detained.

TRO not for Arroyo
The Supreme Court on Monday issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) in favor of former Commission on Audit Region 5 Director Nilda Plaras, excluding her from being arrested along with former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and eight others accused of plunder.

In a resolution dated October 24, the High Court’s Third Division granted Plaras’ petition for certiorari with prayer for TRO and/or writ of preliminary injunction. The resolution prevents the Sandiganbayan from including Plaras in the warrant of arrest issued by the anti-graft court on October 3. The order also required the respondents to file a comment within 10 days.

Plaras, the former head of COA’s Intelligence Fund Unit, filed her petition on October 19.

The Supreme Court clarified that the order does not cover Mrs. Arroyo her other co-accused.
Gleo Guerra, High Court spokesman, said that the order only covers Plaras.

The high tribunal has yet to issue a resolution on the petition for certiorari filed by Mrs. Arroyo on October 24.

Also charged were Rosario Uriarte and Benigno Aguas, former PCSO general manager and assistant general manager, respectively; Sergio Valencia; ex-PCSO chairman; former PCSO board members Manuel “Manoling” Morato, Jose Taruc 5th, Raymundo Roquero, and Maria Fatima Valdez; and Reynaldo Villar, former chairman of COA.