Former Philippine President under hospital arrest

The former President Gloria Arroyo is now under the house arrest after the warrant of arrest serve at around 6:30 in the evening with the presence of her family. Arrest warrants were also served to Andal Sr. and former election officer Lintang Bedol. Arroyo is now under the custody of Southern Police District.

The Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 112 presiding judge Jesus Mupas found probable cause to issue the arrest warrant today.

The former president and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Arroyo along with former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., former Comelec election supervisor Lintang Bedol, and former Comelec chair Benjamin Abalos faces charges of electoral sabotage in the 2004 elections.

Members of the National Bureau of Investigation would be serving the warrant of arrest to the former president late today. The accused will be detained at the Camp Crame or at the NBI detention center except for the Arroyo due to health condition.

Electoral sabotage is a non-baliable case.Based on Republic Act No. 6646, electoral sabotage constitutes altering of votes during an election, tampering numbers on "large scale or in substantial numbers." It is punishable by life imprisonment.