Graft and Corruption vs Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

One day after stepping down to Malacañang palace as former president of the Philippines, Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was charged with graft and corruption, bribery and obstruction of justice before the Department of Justice (DOJ), July 1, 2010.

The House Representative, Bayan Muna headed by Rep. Teddy Casiño and Rep. Neri Javier Colmenares filed her charges against Anti-graft and Corruption Practices Act, approving the NBN-ZTE deal despite of the anomalies, irregularities and overpricing of the project.

She had been reported to have made personal arrangements with the officials of ZTE as she was seen golfing with them on her visit to China to finalize the NBN deal despite the fact that her husband was undergoing a by-pass heart operation that time. She neglected the information given by former SSS president, Romulo Neri about the anomalies of the project. So, she knew all along the dark secrets of the deal before going to China. Arroyo must also be held accountable for the gifts and offers given in order to refrain the arrest of the public officials that were involved in the $329 million NBN-ZTE deal.

The question is, does she still have immunity since she’s now the congresswoman in Pampanga? We’ll see as this case goes.