The story appears on

Page A10

August 10, 2011

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

Related News

HomeWorld

Philippines grounds ex-president

THE Philippine government yesterday barred former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from traveling abroad because of pending corruption charges.

Arroyo, who is now a member of Congress, is facing allegations she illegally used government funds to fund her election campaign. She denies the charges.

Justice secretary Leila de Lima put Arroyo on a border-control "watch list" for 60 days. People on the list are not allowed to leave the country without approval.

Arroyo's husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, was put on the list last week after a businessman told a Senate investigation that he sold helicopters to the police claiming they were new. He has denied ownership of the helicopters.

Government prosecutors are reviewing the evidence against Arroyo before deciding whether they have enough for an indictment.

She is facing allegations she failed to remit 72 million pesos (US$1.7 million) in taxes on the sale of government property, and she diverted more than 550 million pesos of an overseas workers' fund and 728 million pesos in state fertilizer funds to boost her 2004 election campaign.

The charges carry a maximum punishment of 40 years in prison.

Arroyo had neck surgery last week and returned to the hospital yesterday before undergoing more surgery because an implant in her spine has dislodged, according to her doctors.

 

Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

娌叕缃戝畨澶 31010602000204鍙

Email this to your friend