House leaders to colleagues: Leave Arroyo issue to courts

Leaders of the House of Representatives on Tuesday urged their colleagues not to bring the electoral sabotage case of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the floor and instead leave all discussions to the courts. House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said lawmakers’ views on Mrs. Arroyo’s case will be “immaterial" since the case will be decided based on evidence to be presented in court. “Ang appeal din naman namin, now that the issue is already in the courts, siguro hayaan na natin ang korte doon so that each and every institution can go back to their work… Wala na tayo rito. Panay sound bites na lang tayo rito," he said at a press briefing. He also called on House members to focus on legislative work instead of bringing debates on Mrs. Arroyo’s case to the plenary.

“The more that we are involved in this issue, these are times taken away from the bills we have to work on… Kung magpatuloy ‘yan, dalawa o tatlong oras, iyan ang pag-uusapan namin. Don’t expect na may mapag-uusapan na iba," he said. Gonzales made this statement a day after House Minority Edcel Lagman delivered a privilege speech assailing the government for blocking Mrs. Arroyo’s travel and supposedly railroading the filing of the case against her. Mrs. Arroyo, now a congresswoman representing the second district of Pampanga, is currently in temporary hospital arrest at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City due to her bone mineral disorder and hypoparathyroidism. House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., for his part, said the chamber should prioritize the passage of economic bills, noting that there are only three weeks left before they suspend sessions for the Christmas break. “Kami, we do realize that we have to keep the pressure on the economic bills. Hindi naman puwedeng itong issue lang na ito ang aming [tatalakayin]. We have to get on to other things on the agenda," he said at the same briefing. Belmonte said on Sunday that the House will not offer to take custody of Mrs. Arroyo and will just left the courts decide on her fate. — Andreo C. Calonzo/KBK, GMA News