PHILIPPINES: Gloria Arroyo brother dies at 72

Former Philippine President, Gloria Arroyo seeks to visit his brothers wake who dies at cancer.

  • Former Philippine President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo brother dies at age of 72.

Her brother Arturo Macapagal suffered stage four prostate cancer and died Thursday morning at the Makati Medical Center. He was the son of late President Diosdado Macapagal from his first wife, Purita dela Rosa.

Gloria Arroyo was supposed to visit Arturo at the hospital, Thursday afternoon, who has been hospitalized since July 2 due to prostate cancer which later found out has spread to Macapagal’s brain, bones and lungs. Gloria arroyo brother died Tuesday, August 11.

While Arroyo is currently under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center. Accused for plunder in connection with the alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds. Before his brother died, Arroyo’s motion stated, “Mr. Macapagal, who is already 72 years old, may not have long to live. His cancer has spread to his brain, bones and lungs. While the family continues to pray for a miracle, the doctors are of the opinion that Mr. Macapagal’s condition may further decline in the coming days.”

Atty. Gadon stated that Arroyo plans to file a new motion. She is asking the Sandiganbayan to allow her to go to her brother’s wake at the Heritage Memorial Park which previously granted the request. Arroyo is allowed to visit from 3 p.m to 8 p.m., Thursday, August 11. The visit Gloria Arroyo brother with assurance that she will comply conditions and limits the court may impose, should her request will be granted, and she will be the one to shoulder her travel cost.

Condolences from families friends and relatives came up, as well as condolences from the Malacañang Palace. Palace Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said in a statement, “The nation lost an outstanding Olympian and a respected business leader with the passing of Arturo D. Macapagal this morning….We extend our condolences to the bereaved family of Mr Macapagal.”

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, though confined in the hospital wishes to see her older brother for the last time. She was arrested after the court issued warrant of arrest against her due to a complaint for electoral sabotage by the Commission on Elections, November 2011. While she was confined at St. Luke’s Medical Center, arrest warrant was served.

However, successfully earned her second term as congresswoman in Pampanga, 2013 Philippine mid-term elections on 13 May 2013 but remains in custody at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center. Currently, Supreme Court issued Resolution, in an attempts by the Department of Justice to prevent Arroyo seek medical treatment abroad.

Arroyo, 68 year-old served as the 14th President of the Philippines, and the 12th Vice President of the Philippines and first duly elected female VP from 1998 to 2001. She was the country’s second female president after Corazon Aquino. She entered politics in the year 1992 election aiming for senatorial place.

She won the Vice Presidents position after latter lost to popular former actor Joseph Estrada. After May 2004 election, allegations upon cheating on the election arose. The former deputy director of the National Bureau of Investigation Samuel Ong,claimed to have audio recordings of wiretapped conversations between Arroyo and an official of the Commission on Elections or COMELEC Virgilio Garcillano. Ong stated that recordings allegedly proved Arroyo ordered the rigging of the national elections, able her to win against late Poe.

The issue became controversial and been trending even in social media. Tape recordings became known as the Hello Garci controversy. This triggered massive protests against Arroyo to step down from her position. Despite many criticism, she did not resign.

In 2005, Hello Garci controversy became the basis of the her impeachment. Numerous cases have been charged against her, still she remains on her political life. IMAGE/Rappler.com