FORMER president and now Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of Pampanga province reminded the Supreme Court to act on her petition for certiorari and to stop the proceedings of the P366-million Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) plunder case at the Sandiganbayan.

In a 10-page motion filed before the High Tribunal, a copy of which was furnished to the Sandiganbayan, the Pampanga lawmaker asked the High Court to resolve her pending petition and drop the trial at the antigraft court.

She told the court that the charges against her are baseless because the Commission on Audit (COA) issued credit advice that approved the liquidation of the confidential and intelligence funds.

Arroyo said that the credit advice “squarely belies” the allegations that the Office of the Ombudsman charged against her and nine other accused.

“These credit advisories show that contrary to the claim of the Ombudsman, the supposed advances covered by the disbursement vouchers were necessary and lawful,” the reiterative motion read.

She and nine other former officials of the lottery agency and the audit commission were charged of non-bailable offense of plunder for allegedly diverting P366 million of state funds to the intelligence funds by cash advances.

Arroyo said that Audit commission’s approval of the disbursement to the intelligence fund showed that the “conclusion reached by the Ombudsman [on the plunder charge] was clearly devoid of factual and legal basis.”

The former leader, through lawyer Anacleto Diaz, said that the credit advice, which approved the liquidation to the intelligence fund, showed that the Ombudsman erred in finding probable
cause on plunder.

“The COA itself has approved the liquidation of the PCSO intelligence fund and accordingly issued credit advices therefore which certify that the disbursements are lawful, necessary, regular and compliant with the rules,” the motion raised.

At present, Arroyo’s appeal for a temporary restraining order (TRO) has not yet been resolved. Only the petition of former Audit official Nilda Plaras was granted.

Arroyo asked the court to stop the Ombudsman from prosecuting the case and to issue an order that would release the former president from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, where she is presently detained.

Constituents
Meanwhile, four constituents of the legislator have asked to intervene in the petition sitting at the High Court.

Rico Ocampo, Eugene Ponio, Marcelo Valencia and Joaquin Mañalac all of Guagua, Pampanga province wanted to take part in the proceedings as “bonafide residents and registered voters” of the second district of Pampanga, which Arroyo represents at the House of Representatives.

The four said that they “overwhelmingly voted” for Arroyo in the last May 2010 elections “because [we] know that she is the best person who could serve [us] given her competence and experience in government.”

But Arroyo’s incarceration failed her to devote her time for the district, the four said.

“The intervenors had witnessed the kind of treatment being accorded to Arroyo under the current administration. [They] posit that the charges are but politically motivated meant only to vilify and embarrass her in the eyes of the public,” the petition read.

They added that due to Arroyo’s detention, their representative could not spend time to consult her people.

Ocampo and others said that through Arroyo they have the right to be represented at the House, which likewise vest onto them the right to intervene in the case.

They asked the High Court to also issue a restraining order on the case, release their representative from medical detention and to dismiss the plunder case against her.