SC affirms Arroyo acquittal in PCSO plunder case 

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday affirmed its ruling dismissing the plunder case against former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over the alleged misuse of P366-million in intelligence funds of state lottery firm Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Voting 11-4, the high court denied the motion for reconsideration filed by the Office of the Ombudsman to the SC's July 2016 decision for lack of merit.

"The Court noted that its decision had granted petitioners' respective demurrers to the evidence which resulted in their acquittal and thus any attempt to reconsider the decision would amount to double jeopardy," the SC Public Information Office said.

The high court, in a separate vote of 10 to 5, also upheld its decision junking the plunder raps against Arroyo's co-accused, former  PCSO budget officer and accounts manager Benigno Aguas.

In dismissing the plunder case against Arroyo, the SC noted the weak evidence presented by the prosecution team.

The former leader had spent four years under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City in connection with the plunder case before she was set free in July last year. —KBK, GMA News