Manila: A suburban Pasay City court has allowed a request made by former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to visit the funeral of deceased brother-in-law Rep. Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo.
Judge Jesus Mupas, of the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 112, had granted an appeal made by the former president-turned Pampanga congressional district representative, to pay her last respects to her departed brother-in-law.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been detained since December 9, 2011 at the Veteran's Memorial Medical Centre in suburban Quezon City.
Arroyo last Thursday entered a plea of "not guilty" in an electoral sabotage case filed against her by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in connection with the 2007 senate polls.
Electoral sabotage is an unbailable offence under Philippine law. Aside from Arroyo, also named as respondents in the case was then Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos, former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., Provincial Comelec supervisor Lintang Bedol as well as two military officers and several civilians.
Custody battle
The body of the late Ignacio Arroyo, who represented a congressional district in Central Philippines' Negros Occidental, had been the subject of a several weeks-long custody drama.
Iggy, 60, died from cardiac arrest January 26 while he was in London for medical treatment. He was first married to Marilyn Jacinto, sister of local musician Ramon "RJ" Jacinto.
Iggy's marriage with Jacinto was annulled and he married Alicia "Aleli" Morales.
The late lawmaker's last partner was Grace Ibuna.
Just last week a court in London granted Ibuna custodial rights to the remains of Iggy as well as inheritance to a portion of his estate. Iggy is known to own huge landholdings in Negros Occidental.
According to reports, a two night wake will be held for Iggy at the Arroyo ancestral home in suburban Quezon City, a day-long viewing will be held at the House of Representatives and then a two day mourning in Bacolod City after which it will be returned to Quezon City prior to burial.
