For health reasons, GMA won’t visit parents’ graves

Due to health reasons, Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo decided not to push through with earlier plans to visit her parents’ graves at the Libingan ng mga Bayani today.

Her lawyer Anacleto Diaz, in an interview with The STAR yesterday, said the former president opted to stay at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) to get some rest. “She has been in bed since this morning. As per her doctor’s advice and mine, we decided not to go through with it anymore,” he said. Diaz said Arroyo is not feeling very well and should not push herself into making a trip to Taguig City today to pay her respects to former President Diosdado Macapagal and Evangelina Macapagal.

The Sandiganbayan had granted the former president’s request and gave her not more than six hours to visit the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

However, she was required to post a bond of P1 million yesterday because all expenses to be incurred by the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the trip will have to be shouldered by her.

In a six-page resolution, the Sandiganbayan First Division gave Arroyo at least six conditions which will have to be complied with.

PNP chief Nicanor Bartolome was directed to take charge of the security measures to be implemented, with the anti-graft court noting that Arroyo may leave the VMMC not later than 8:30 a.m. The Sandiganbayan said the former president, who is facing plunder charges for alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) confidential and intelligence funds (CIF), would have been allowed to stay at the Libingan ng mga Bayani for not more than six hours.

Arroyo, however, was not allowed to grant media interviews. She was also not allowed to use communication equipment including cellular phones.

Arroyo asked the Sandiganbayan on Monday to allow her to visit her parents’ graves on All Saints’ Day.

The Sandiganbayan has also granted former PCSO board member Manuel Morato’s motion for hospital arrest subject to the same conditions imposed on Arroyo who is confined and detained at the VMMC.

As a co-accused in the plunder case, he was ordered to shoulder all expenses in relation to his stay at the St. Luke’s Medical Center where he underwent heart surgery last week.

Meanwhile, President Aquino yesterday said he wants to have private time with his family – his four sisters, in-laws, nephews and nieces – in visiting the tomb of their parents at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City.

“Can I keep it a secret so that we’ll be able to pray properly?” he said when asked by reporters how he will spend All Saints’ and All Souls’ days. –