RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News
Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has filed her certificate of candidacy for a 4th non-consecutive term as representative of the 2nd district of Pampanga.
"She filed her certificate of candidacy through a proxy the very first day I think about 3pm sa Pampanga," her son, incumbent Representative Juan Miguel Mikey Arroyo, told ABS-CBN News.
He said his mother chose to file through proxy, citing the many cases of COVID 19.
"She’s still very energetic. I believe she can serve the 2nd district much better than me at my very best," he said of his 74-year-old mother, who already served in that same position from 2010-2019.
Before serving as President from 2001 to 2010, Arroyo served as the country’s 1st female Vice-President from 1998-2001 and Senator from 1992 to 1998.
The former leader was jailed in 2011 under the administration of arch critic, then-President Benigno Aquino III, after being accused of stealing P366 million in state lottery funds meant for charity programs while she was in office.
Arroyo was detained in a military hospital for nearly five years before the Supreme Court dismissed her corruption charges in 2016. The top tribunal threw out the case, citing insufficient evidence.
The late President Aquino questioned the ruling, saying she should be held accountable for the mismanagement of funds that were supposed "to alleviate the suffering of many of our countrymen".
When President Duterte succeeded Aquino in 2016, the former said he was willing to pardon Arroyo.
Mikey Arroyo meantime rejected speculations he will run for party-list representative. When his mother held the district seat, Mikey represented a party-list group for security guards and tricycle drivers from 2010-2013.
That will not happen, he said, adding he will be an active member of Lakas CMD and will serve as his mother’s district coordinator.
"I will of course help my mother with her district concerns as I have been doing when she was congresswoman. I will help our family in our small family businesses like I used to when I was not congressman," he said.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/04/21/gloria-macapagal-arroyo-files-coc-through-proxy
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