Arroyo expresses gratitude to Duterte for her plunder acquittal

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is joined by Former President and Incumbent Pampanga Second District Representative Gloria Arroyo and Sec. Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President as they witness the program proper during the 116th Labor Day Celebration at the IEC Convention Center in Cebu City on May 1, 2018. (RICHARD MADELO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

Nearly three years after she was freed, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gave thanks to President Rodrigo Duterte for helping her be acquitted of plunder raps filed against her.

Arroyo credited Duterte in her speech during the appreciation dinner organized by members of the 17th Congress for her on Tuesday night, July 9, which the Chief Executive attended.

“I thank you that when you became President, you provided the atmosphere in which the court had the freedom to acquit me of the trumped up charges my successor and your predecessor, so that the court voted 11 to four in my favor, including half of those who were appointed by my successor,” she said.

Voting 11-4, the Supreme Court (SC) in July 2016 dismissed the plunder case against Arroyo in connection with the alleged misuse of P366-million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) funds from 2008 to 2010. She left hospital detention at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center which became her home for almost four years.

The former president also thanked Duterte for supporting her past candidacies, from senator to vice president and to president.

“When I was president, I thank you for the active help you gave me fighting drugs, kidnapping, and all the threats to peace and stability, she said.

“And after that, after my presidency, I thank you for describing me as a friend even in my darkest days.

I heard you describe me as a friend during your campaign and I heard you repeating that you are my friend and I’m your friend after you were elected,” she added.

Arroyo also took the opportunity to express not only her gratitude to the Chief Executive for what he has done not only for her but also for the Filipino people.

She said she is “proud” to be Duterte’s friend whom she said is “most loved by his people among all the leaders in the world today.”

Arroyo, who replaced Pantaleon Alvarez as Speaker of the House of Representatives in July 2018, stepped down from her post last June 30. Members of the House are expected to elect their new Speaker on July 22 when the 18th Congress opens.