SC suspends Arroyo’s plunder trial

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (Wikipedia photo)

The plunder trial of Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has been suspended for another 90 days as the Supreme Court extended its order to halt the Sandiganbayan from proceeding with trying the case.

Arroyo was indicted of plunder raps for alleged misuse of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) funds amounting to P366 million from 2008 to 2010.

“In the matter of GR No. 220598… the Court issued a status quo ante order for 90 days, or until February 19, 2016, directing the parties to observe the status quo prevailing before the issuance of the assailed orders of the Sandiganbayan dated April 6, 2015,” SC Spokesman Theodore O. Te was quoted as saying in a Manila Bulletin report.

Just last month, the SC also issued a status quo ante order that halted legal proceedings on Arroyo’s plunder case for 30 days.

The SC’s issuance of a status quo ante order would allow the high court to rule on Arroyo’s plea to reverse Sandiganbayan’s decision on forbidding her to post bail and present oral arguments. Sandiganbayan also denied the former president’s motion for a temporary restraining order that would stop the legal proceeding of the case filed against her.