Arrest Warrant for Gloria Arroyo

Coronel said Arroyo's coaccused had also been served their arrest warrants—former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. at the Bicutan detention center and former Maguindanao Election Supervisor Lintang Bedol at Camp Crame. He said Arroyo was not considered a flight risk or suicidal, which was why police had kept security at a minimum. Judge Mupas ordered Arroyo's arrest for purportedly engineering the results of the 2007 senatorial elections in Maguindanao. He set aside the request of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the urgent issuance of a hold-departure order on Arroyo and her two coaccused and scheduled a hearing on the need for such an order on Monday at 9 a.m. In a one-page order that Branch 112 Clerk of Court Joel Pelicano read to reporters, Mupas said that "after personally evaluating the voluminous records of the case," he found probable cause against Arroyo, Ampatuan Sr. and Bedol. The court based its finding of probable cause against Arroyo on the affidavits of Norie Unas, Ampatuan Sr.'s former senior aide; Zaldy Ampatuan, a son of Ampatuan Sr., and Bedol, which "point[ed] to the complicity of … Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with the other accused." Prosecutor General Claro Arellano said Abalos was not included among those charged because the case that Comelec filed was concerning the alleged cheating in Manguindano during the 2007 election. Arellano said a separate complaint for 11 counts of electoral sabotage would be filed against Arroyo, Abalos and several others on Monday.