Philippine President in Jail

Arroyo is the second former Philippine president to be arrested, after Joseph Estrada in 2001. But unlike Estrada, who was eventually convicted of plunder, there were no supporters keeping vigil when she was arrested. Shortly before the warrant was served, Ferdinand Topacio, lawyer of Arroyo's husband, and Raul Lambino, Arroyo's legal spokesperson, made themselves scarce to reporters. Earlier in the day, the two men were defiant and optimistic, with Lambino announcing that the former President and her husband would leave for Singapore Friday afternoon. "It's a matter of exercising their constitutional right to travel," he said. Bucayu said anyone could visit Arroyo depending on the hospital rules. He said the arresting team wanted to talk to Arroyo's doctors but they were not in the suite. Only Arroyo's husband, Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo, and their son, Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado "Dato" Arroyo, were with the former President, along with Flaminiano, Lambino and Topacio, her spokesperson Elena Bautista-Horn, and some of her former Cabinet members and relatives. There were no children in the suite, Bucayu said. Senior Superintendent Coronel said that while Arroyo was not taken to jail, the important thing was that she was now under arrest.