MANILA, Philippines鈥擳he camp of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday reiterated their appeal to the media not to join the police convoy for the former leader who will be transferred from the St. Luke鈥檚 Medical Center (SLMC) in Taguig City to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City (VMMC) this morning.
鈥淏aka pwedeng pakihintay nalang doon [VMMC] kasi baka mahirapan pa makipag negotiate ang convoy and syempre for security reasons鈥滱rroyo鈥檚 lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said before reporters staking out at St. Luke鈥檚.
But if the media would still want to follow, 鈥淗uwag nalang buntutan masyado,鈥� he said.
Topacio said that he could not divulge the exact time of their departure and where they would be exiting, but clearly said that the former president would be moved this morning.
Arroyo was put under hospital arrest in St. Luke鈥檚 after Judge Mupas issued arrest warrants for her and two others 鈥� Former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and former election supervisor Lintang Bedol following the electoral sabotage charges that were filed against them.
Electoral sabotage is a non-bailable offense.
From Tuesday, Mupas rescheduled Arroyo鈥檚 transfer to VMMC due to renovations that needed to be done in Arroyo鈥檚 suite at the VMMC as following motion for reconsideration filed by the former president鈥檚 lawyers who sought to delay her move to the government-run hospital.