Manila: Former President Gloria Arroyo smiled as she pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud in 2007 congressional elections which favoured the ruling party's candidates, during an arraignment of the case filed against her by the justice department and the Commission on Elections.
Wearing a white long-sleeved attire and a neck brace, Arroyo entered her pleading, "Not guilty," at Pasay City's regional trial court yesterday morning, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said.
The lawyer said the prosecution agreed to waive the reading of the information of her charge. The court has scheduled the next hearing on April 9.
Later Arroyo said in a statement that she had been a victim of a vilification campaign run by President Benigno Aquino.
"Despite the continuous and massive vilification campaign against me and my family, I have always said that I will dispute all the charges at the proper forum," Arroyo said, adding,
"I am submitting myself to this process not only to clear my name but also as part of my commitment to respect and abide by the rules and orders of our courts."
She returned to the vehicle which brought her to the court from the Veterans Memorial Medical Centre (VMMC) in suburban Quezon City where she has been detained since December 9 following her arrest at St. Luke's Medical Centre in suburban Taguig last November.
Prosecutors alleged that Arroyo had sought the help of former Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., to tamper with the ballot papers in Maguindanao to ensure victory of one of the ruling party's senatorial candidate.
Criminal charges
Ampatuan Sr and other family members were arrested in November 2009 and are undergoing trial on charges of killing 57 people, including political rivals and 30 journalists, in Maguindanao. Arroyo later dismissed the Ampatuan family from the ruling party over the incident. Ampatuan Sr. was also a co-accused in the alleged election fraud case.
Arroyo is also facing a criminal charge which said her husband and other allies received kickbacks from a private Chinese firm that was to implement at $530 million telecom project in the Philippines, with the help of China's overseas development assistance.
Arroyo stopped the project when the Senate began investigating the alleged kickback scandal.
A Supreme Court ruling allowed her to leave the country for a medical treatment in Singapore because the complaints filed against her were not yet elevated as charges to a regional trial court.
But she and her entourage failed to pass through immigration authorities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
This incident prompted the justice department and the Commission on Elections to fast-track the complaints filed against her, at Pasay City's Regional Trial Court, resulting in Arroyo's arrest at St. Luke's Medical Centre.
Arroyo won a seat at the House of Representatives in the May elections.
This incident also prompted allies of Aquino to file an impeachment motion against Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, claiming that he protected Arroyo who appointed him before she left the office in June 2010. He was also accused of committing corrupt acts.
Corona's impeachment trial at the Senate trial is going on.
