MANILA, Philippines – The plunder trial of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will now be on hold until February 2016.
On Tuesday, November 24, the Supreme Court extended the status quo ante order it earlier issued, ordering the Sandiganbayan to temporarily halt Arroyo's plunder trial.
Arroyo is facing charges for having approved the use of P365.9 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) funds which were allegedly misused from 2008 to 2010.
The high court's order comes after the former president filed an appeal regarding the Sandiganbayan's denial of her petition for bail.
In her motion, Arroyo cited health concerns, along with the findings of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
The UN body released an opinion last October 2, saying that Arroyo's detention "violates international law" and is "arbitrary on a number of grounds."
The former president remains under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City. – Rappler.com