The glory days of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ended at the 16 th floor of a hospital suite in Taguig City when she was served a warrant of arrest for alleged electoral sabotage in the 2007 elections with one of her harshest critics in Bohol reacting just as fast saying "it was payback time for the former president". In what appeared to be a reversal of fortune, GMA was arrested on the strength of an arrest warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Jesus Mupas of Pasay branch 112 late afternoon Friday at her hospital suite at the St Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City. Reacting just as swift, top notch lawyer Victor de la Serna sent an 11-page press statement where he characterized GMAs arrest as payback time. De La Serna, a known harsh critic of the former president even during her incumbency, made no pretence of his latest tirades on GMA, saying she is now getting a dose of her own medicine. Friday's arrest was a reprise of what she did when she allowed the arrest in April 2001 of former president Erap Estrada on charges of plunder. The actor-president was eventually imprisoned until he was pardoned by her lady successor. It was poetic justice for the former lady president who ran the country for 10 years despite several attempts to impeach her. According to de la Serna she, was the first president to violate the tradition of allowing an out-going president to live in peace.
The case of Estrada comes to mind, de la serna added. With what she had done to Estrada, de la Serna said she is now is suffering the same fate she has reflected on her predecessor. "Call it the day of reckoning for her abuses as president for ten years, but in my view, she justly deserves it and more, much more", the feisty lawyer added. Describing GMA's predicament, de la Serna, who is also known for his brutally frank rhetoric, said she would have been able to depart last Friday right after the Supreme Court reiterated the TRO it has issued earlier. Unfortunately for Gloria, however, the Comelec en banc issued an order to file the electoral sabotage case against her in the RTC of Pasay. And fortunately again, the Pasay RTC issued a warrant of arrest against GMA – which is a non-bailable crime. All that scuttled all together plans of the former chief executive to leave the country to seek medical treatment abroad. By 6:00 p.m. Friday, GMA was arrested although, she was allowed to remain in the hospital under guard, in consideration for her physical condition and as former president to live in peace, In calling GMA's fate as her day of reckoning, de la Serna said , with her arrest, she will be made to account for her abuses as president for 10 years.
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