Former president of Philippines pleads not guilty to corruption
MANILA, Philippines — (AP) — A Philippine court entered a not-guilty plea Monday for former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on charges she misused $8.8 million in state lottery funds in the third corruption case against her.
Arroyo is suffering from a neck ailment, and police brought her to the anti-graft court from a military hospital. She was admitted days before the court served the arrest warrant against her on plunder charges early this month and ordered her confined under guard.
Arroyo, 65, appeared in a wheelchair and wore a neck brace with a pink scarf. She refused to enter a plea and prompted the judge to record not guilty on her behalf. Nine other people, mostly former officials of the state lottery agency, also are charged in the case. They allegedly conspired with Arroyo during her last years in office to divert public funds for her personal gain.
If found guilty, they could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Arroyo’s lawyers say the witnesses against her had no personal knowledge of the transactions of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. They have appealed to the Supreme Court to have the case dismissed.
Arroyo finished her tumultuous nine-year term in 2010. Since then, she has been separately charged with vote fraud and in another corruption case but posted bail. She had already spent eight months under hospital arrest before she was discharged in June.
Arroyo has accused her successor, Benigno Aquino III, of pursuing a political vendetta. Aquino was overwhelmingly elected on a promise to rid the Philippines of corruption and has vowed to prosecute Arroyo and her inner circle, blaming them for stealing money for personal gain and for a culture of impunity in which corrupt practices flourished.
The government has already denied Arroyo’s request to seek medical treatment abroad, saying she may not return to face the charges.