Tight security marks Arroyo's 1st night under police custody at hospital

Tight police security marked former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s first night under police custody in a hospital, even as her allies sought prayers for her to get through one of her most difficult times. One of Arroyo’s allies, Candaba (Pampanga) Mayor Jerry Pelayo, asked for prayers for her and her family, radio dzBB’s Rodil Vega reported. The dzBB report also said Arroyo’s husband, former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, spent Friday night with his wife. Mrs. Arroyo spent the night at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City, where a warrant for her arrest was served at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Her legal spokesman, defeated senatorial bet Raul Lambino, said Arroyo has no immediate plans to leave the hospital. Lambino said he was the first to inform Arroyo of the arrest warrant against her. The dzBB report quoted him as saying Arroyo “accepted" it and said she could not do anything about it. Meanwhile, security remained tight at the St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) as of early Saturday. Police personnel were placed at the hospital’s entrances and exits. At least 30 members of the Metro Manila police’s Regional Public Safety Battalion were deployed to the area. A separate report by dzBB’s Allan Gatus said two police personnel were assigned to guard Arroyo’s room. Arroyo has been staying at the SLMC since Tuesday night, after her first attempt to leave the country was blocked. On Tuesday, the high court issued a temporary restraining order against a watch-list order against her, effectively clearing the way for her to leave for abroad for “medical" purposes. But Immigration personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, on orders by the Justice Department, blocked her attempt to leave. On Friday, the Commission on Elections charged Arroyo of electoral sabotage, with the Pasay City court issuing a warrant for her arrest. — LBG, GMA News