MANILA, Philippines – Netizens expressed their disappointment on the Supreme Court's decision to acquit Arroyo of plunder as it granted her plea to drop the case against her on Tuesday, July 19.
This sets in motion her release from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, where she has been detained since October 2012.
Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, the legal spokesman of Arroyo's husband former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, hailed the SC ruling, saying in a statement that justice has been served.
Topacio added that the ruling has validated their claim "that the charges against (Arroyo) are nothing more than disingenuous attempts at political persecution by a corrupt and inept Aquino administration intent on covering up its gross lack of accomplishments by harassing its political opponents."
While the news came as a cause for celebration for the Arroyo camp, it triggered a flurry of negative comments from netizens who took to social media their frustration on the Supreme Court ruling.
Many netizens also noted that the Supreme Court ruling did not come as a surprise. This is especially after President Rodrigo Duterte claimed he was ready to grant the former president pardon during the campaign season.
Here are some tweets from netizens:
Arroyo SC decision - neg - Curated tweets by MovePH
It was President Benigno Aquino III who jailed Arroyo and subsequently led the impeachment charge against her appointed chief justice, the late Renato Corona.
Do you agree with the SC ruling that acquitted Arroyo of plunder? Share your thoughts on X! – Rappler.com