MikeLigalig.com

by PNA

Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo did not show up for the third time on Monday in the preliminary investigation of the plunder charges filed against her in connection with the alleged misuse of welfare funds which was intended for migrant workers during her administration.

Mrs. Arroyo failed to appear before the Department of Justice (DOJ) panel of prosecutors’ hearing wherein she is supposed to swear and subscribe to the authenticity of her counter-affidavit.

According to her lawyer, Benjamin Santos, the Pampanga lawmaker is still abroad.

“She was supposed to have returned in the middle of last week, but she had other matters to attend to. It is not our intention to delay the proceedings," Santos told the DOJ panel.

“We would like to assure the honorable hearing panel that she’ll be coming within this week and therefore, as soon as she arrives, we are going to have her sign before the panel or a representative that a panel will be designating, that she will swear to her counter-affidavit," Santos said.

At the same time, Santos said that the plunder charges against Mrs. Arroyo should be junked for being baseless.

On the other hand, the lawyer of complainant former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez, Atty. Andre de Jesus, objected to Santos’ request for an extension in the filing of Arroyo’s counter-affidavit.

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