Pasay court clears Arroyo of 2007 electoral sabotage

December 28, 2018

The Pasay City Regional Trial Court has dismissed an 11-year-old electoral sabotage case against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In a decision made Dec 17, Judge Jesus Mupas granted Arroyo’s demurrer to evidence and moved to junk the case vs Arroyo, now Speaker of the House.

The court said the prosecution had failed to prove “beyond reasonable doubt and moral certainty despite ample opportunity and even without evidence in favor of the accused” the allegations of tampering results of the 2007 polls in Maguindanao.

Arroyo allegedly ordered the late Maguindanao Gov Andal Ampatuan Sr to make sure her party's senatorial slate sweep the electoral contest in that province.

The court also ordered Arroyo’s P1 million bond be returned to her.

Earlier, Arroyo asked the court to dismiss the case of electoral sabotage filed against her by the Commission on Elections on 2011.

The same court dismissed similar charges slapped against former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. and Ampatuan Sr. DMS