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Pasay court allows 'hospital arrest' for ex-Pres. Arroyo


UPDATED 11:20 a.m. - A Pasay City court on Monday allowed former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to stay at the St. Luke's Medical Center (SLMC) in Taguig City while waiting for her doctors to submit a report about her medical condition. Radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen reported that the court also did not issue a decision about making public the mug shots that police took of Mrs. Arroyo on Saturday, a day after she was arrested for electoral sabotage. "We have to wait for the medical report submitted by SLMC, particularly Dr. (Juliet) Cervantes, (Mrs. Arroyo's) attending physician," Pasay City Court Branch 112 clerk of court Joel Pelicano said. Pelicano said the court will determine the matter after the doctors submit a medical bulletin. While Mrs. Arroyo was arrested last Friday, she was allowed to stay at the SLMC over the weekend. Pelicano also noted the prosecution has no objection so far to Mrs. Arroyo's "hospital arrest," adding they have to "respect the status of the accused" as a former president and as Pampanga representative. Mrs. Arroyo represents Pampanga's second district in the House of Representatives. Meanwhile, in a separate report by reporter Sandra Aguinaldo aired over GMA News TV’s “News To Go," lawyer Jose Flaminiano, Mrs. Arroyo’s counsel, thanked the Pasay court for temporarily allowing his client to stay at the SLMC. The Pasay City court issued an arrest warrant for Arroyo Friday, on the same day the Commission on Elections lodged charges of electoral sabotage against her. No ruling on mug shots A separate report by GMA News’ Sandra Aguinaldo aired over GMA News TV’s “News To Go" meanwhile said the court did not rule on whether or not to publicly release Mrs. Arroyo’s mug shots, and instead left the decision to both the prosecution and defense panels. The police are leaving it to the Pasay City court to decide whether to allow making public the mug shots of Mrs. Arroyo. In an interview over radio dzBB, Metro Manila Criminal Investigation and Detection Group head Senior Superintendent Joel Coronel said the mug shots were part of the compliance report they submitted to the Pasay City Court Branch 112. "It will be up to the courts to decide whether to release them to the public," he said. He said they also submitted to the court on Monday morning the arrest warrant for Arroyo, as well as the information and booking sheets, and Arroyo's fingerprints and thumbprints. Coronel said Arroyo was "quiet" during the booking process, silently facing the camera. "Noong kinunan ng litrato siya ay tahimik at humarap sa camera, walang binanggit na anumang salita," he said. Meanwhile, Coronel said they have recommended that Arroyo stay at the SLMC so a doctor can examine her properly. "Kasama sa aming recommendations panatilihin ang dating pangulo sa SLMC hanggang masuri nang mabuti ng duktor at attending physicians," he said. The same report added that Mrs. Arroyo’s camp is expected to submit documents on the former President’s condition on Tuesday. The court will use these to decide how long it will allow the former President to stay in the hospital while under police custody. Lightning rally Meanwhile, a separate report by dzBB's Glen Juego said some militants tried to hold another lightning rally near the court, calling for Mrs. Arroyo's incarceration. The report said the militants engaged police in a brief shoving match. Militants on Sunday had demonstrated near the SLMC, saying Mrs. Arroyo should be behind bars and not staying at a hospital. —with Andreo Calonzo, RSJ/VVP, GMA News
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