MANILA - House Speaker Sonny Belmonte on Monday said the
Sandiganbayan has some leeway to give former President and now Pampanga
Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo a holiday furlough from detention.
Belmonte issued the statement after Rep. Silvestre Bello III of 1-BAP party-list filed a resolution asking the Sandiganbayan to grant Mrs. Arroyo a Christmas furlough "for humanitarian and compassionate considerations.”
"I myself will keep hands off it and let it go through the mill without any pro or con. On my part, I certainly wouldn't want to stop it or it obstruct it. At the same time, this is properly addressed to the sound discretion of the court. Justices have some leeway on humanitarian grounds, the same grounds being cited by resolution filed by Congressman Bello. As far as I'm concerned, I'll keep hands off it and not in any way obstruct it," the Speaker said.
Bello earlier said he filed the resolution after seeing the former president at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC), where she is detained on a plunder charge.
"I was able to talk to her. May sakit siya. She could hardly speak to me. I would ask for a one-month [furlough]. I leave it to the Sandiganbayan," he said.
Belmonte’s nephew, Rep. Kit Belmonte, is a signatory of Bello's resolution.
Arroyo is detained at the VMMC on a plunder case for alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) funds.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/12/09/13/sandiganbayan-has-leeway-grant-arroyo-furlough-speaker
Belmonte issued the statement after Rep. Silvestre Bello III of 1-BAP party-list filed a resolution asking the Sandiganbayan to grant Mrs. Arroyo a Christmas furlough "for humanitarian and compassionate considerations.”
"I myself will keep hands off it and let it go through the mill without any pro or con. On my part, I certainly wouldn't want to stop it or it obstruct it. At the same time, this is properly addressed to the sound discretion of the court. Justices have some leeway on humanitarian grounds, the same grounds being cited by resolution filed by Congressman Bello. As far as I'm concerned, I'll keep hands off it and not in any way obstruct it," the Speaker said.
Bello earlier said he filed the resolution after seeing the former president at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC), where she is detained on a plunder charge.
"I was able to talk to her. May sakit siya. She could hardly speak to me. I would ask for a one-month [furlough]. I leave it to the Sandiganbayan," he said.
Belmonte’s nephew, Rep. Kit Belmonte, is a signatory of Bello's resolution.
Arroyo is detained at the VMMC on a plunder case for alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) funds.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/12/09/13/sandiganbayan-has-leeway-grant-arroyo-furlough-speaker
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