Manila: Congressman Ignacio ‘Iggy' Arroyo has been declared clinically dead, his elder brother Jose Miguel ‘Mike' Arroyo said.
"Negros Occidental Fifth District Representative Ignacio is clinically dead and is in a hospital in London," the elder Arroyo was quoted as saying in a radio report.
The congressman is the brother-in-law of former president Gloria Arroyo, who has been in detention at the Veterans Memorial Medical Centre since November as she awaits trial for electoral sabotage.
Mike Arroyo issued the response following reports earlier on in the day that his young brother had already died.
"Iggy is on [a] life support system," Mike Arroyo said.
He added that the lawmaker would be declared officially dead once his family signs a waiver authorising medical staff to turn off life support.
The Presidential Palace in Manila conveyed its condolences to the Arroyo family earlier in the day, even before there was an official confirmation of the lawmaker's death.
Abigail Valte, deputy presidential spokesperson, said the Presidential Palace extended its sympathies to those left behind by Congressman Arroyo.
"We extend our sympathies to his loved ones," Valte had said.
Flag at half-mast
At the House of Representatives, which Congressman Arroyo had served for three successive terms, the flag was lowered to the half mast — a symbol of mourning following the death of a House member.
According to reports Ignacio Arroyo had been battling liver cancer and had flown to London last year for medical treatment at the behest of his doctors.
Romulo Makalintal, Mike Arroyo's lawyer, said arrangements were being made for the congressman's remains to brought for viewing to the House of Representatives and then to Negros Occidental Fifth District before the burial in Metro Manila.
He said there was no set date for the burial yet.
The late congressman cast a controversial shadow in the political affairs of the Arroyo family.
He and his elder brother Mike had been accused by detractors of benefitting from their ties with the then president.
Ignacio Arroyo had owned up to being ‘Jose Pidal' — whose name was implicated in questionable bank accounts where political campaign contributions were said to have been stashed.
The congressman took to using the name ‘Jose Pidal' in his dealings with the banks.
Senator Panfilo Lacson claimed that it was actually the elder Arroyo — Mike — who actually owned the multi-million peso accounts at local banks allegedly containing 321 million pesos (Dh27 million).
