ANGELES CITY – The government’s alleged “special treatment” of former president, now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who was allowed hospital arrest on electoral sabotage charges has spawned fears of eventual compromises with the Arroyos.
This, even as the fisherfolk umbrella organization Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) called on “Filipino taxpayers” to “rebuke” Pres. Aquino’s accommodation of Arroyo at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMCC) and for the government to foot her hospital bills.
“The hospital arrest of GMA (Arroyo) is foul. The decision of Malacañang to foot the bill is foul. This is national foul play in the name of political accommodation, “ Pamalakaya said in a statement yesterday.
Pamalakaya vice chairperson Salvador France said the “special treatment of Arroyo is extremely opposed to the national and collective interest of 104 million Filipinos.”
“It is leading us to a logical conclusion that Pres. Aquino would soon enter into a political compromise with the Arroyo camp,” France said, as he cited other recent developments since her arrest.
“Aside from the approval of hospital arrest and possible house arrest, allies of Pres. Aquino had also rejected proposals to forfeit the perks currently received by GMA as representative of the second district of Pampanga and her removal as congresswoman of her province,” France noted.
Pamalakaya also cited the recent decision of the Department of Justice to lift the travel ban against former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and son Ang Galing Pinoy party list Rep. Mikey Arroyo.
“These all indicate that the special treatment policy on the Arroyos is in effect,” France added.
He also recalled that the Office of the Ombudsman under Aquino appointee Conchita Carpio- Morales dismissed the corruption case against Arroyo in regard to the $ 329- million NBN-ZTE deal.
Pamalakaya noted that prior to junking of the NBN-ZTE case against Arroyo, the justice department had dismissed the plunder case filed against the former President in connection with the construction of Iloilo airport.
“Instead of filing plunder cases, criminal and other appropriate charges against GMA and company, the Aquino administration is giving away political concessions to GMA, her husband, members of the Arroyo family and supporters implicated in various crimes during nine- year presidency of ex-President Arroyo,” Hicap said.
He also noted that “until now no plunder charges and even criminal complaints arising from extrajudicial killings and political persecution have been filed against Arroyo and her officials.”
In June 2004, Pamalakaya joined the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) in filing a plunder complaint against GMA in connection with the P728- million fertilizer fund scam.
In February 2006, they also filed graft charges before the Ombudsman’s office against Arroyo and other officials in connection with the Rapu-Rapu oil spill and offshore mining in Tanon Strait, protected seascape separating the island provinces of Cebu and Negros.
In January 2010, they also filed plunder case against Arroyo and former agriculture secretary Arthur Yap in connection with the P455- million overpriced ice making machine, Hicap also recalled.
