Cops secure SC for oral arguments on Arroyo's case

The police secured the Supreme Court (SC) in Manila early on Tuesday for oral arguments involving the electoral sabotage case of former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Manila Police District spokesman Erwin Margarejo appealed both to the supporters and critics of Arroyo who may be planning to hold demonstrations to keep their activities peaceful and to avoid heated confrontations. Margarejo said they are ready to close off Taft Avenue and Padre Faura Street to traffic if needed, radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported. Supreme Court spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said the high court will hold its regular en banc session at 10:00 a.m. where it will discuss cases pending before it. The high court also said it will hear at 2:00 p.m. the oral argument on two cases in connection with the government’s watchlist order against Arroyo and husband Jose Miguel. "Petitioners Arroyos, through their counsels, and the respondents Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima, et al., were each given a maximum of 20 minutes to present their respective arguments and directed to limit their their respective discussion(s)," it said. -VVP, GMA News