Global backlash over Arroyo arrest ‘unfounded’

SEVERAL lawmakers believe the arrest of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would send a good signal that the Aquino administration is serious in fighting corruption, instead of an international backlash warned by senators.
Senators Gregorio Honasan and Miriam Santiago said an international backlash may be possible should Arroyo be “humiliated” by being kept in a police detention cell.
Last week, Arroyo’s lawyers said they would request the Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 112 — the same court that issued the arrest warrant against the former President — to grant their client a house arrest.
Arroyo is currently under hospital arrest at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City. She was charged with electoral sabotage, and if proven guilty, the former President may face life imprisonment.
“What international backlash are they talking about? This would send a good signal that the Philippine government is serious in fighting corruption,” San Juan City Representative Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said in a text message.
Ejercito’s father, former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, was placed under house arrest after being convicted of plunder. Estrada was jailed from 2001 to 2007 until he was granted pardon by Arroyo.
Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption (Cibac) party-list Representative Sherwin Tugna, for his part, thinks it would be best that public officials should just let law run its course.
“A government willing to pursue corruption charges against its former president who is perceived as one of the most powerful individuals sends a positive message to the international community that we are implementing wide-ranging reforms towards renewing our infamous reputation as one of the most corrupt countries in Asia,” Tugna said in a statement.
House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tanada III noted that the Aquino administration has vowed to respect the rights of the former President as an accused.
“I don’t think it will create an international backlash. We have seen this in other countries were ex-Presidents were brought immediately to detention centers. What is important is that her rights as an accused are respected,” he added.
Akbayan party-list Representative Walden Bello, a staunch critic of Arroyo, said there will be an international backlash from overseas Filipinos if the former President is given special treatment.
“I do not see any special concern for Arroyo among foreign governments. They see this as an internal matter of the Philippines and would not dare intervene,” he said in a text message.
Meanwhile, an Arroyo ally at the House said Arroyo has the right to post bail because the prosecution’s evidence against her is “not strong, as in fact it is weak, hearsay and uncorroborated.”
House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman said before the Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 112 tackles the possible house arrest for the former President, it should first conduct a bail hearing.
Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago had said the same thing over the weekend. She said Arroyo may still avoid jail if defense lawyers will be able to prove that the evidence against her is weak.
Arroyo’s lawyers are requesting the Pasay RTC Branch 112 of Judge Jesus Mupas to allow a house arrest for the former President after her doctors said she is “medically fit” to leave the hospital.
Lagman noted that another antecedent to the issue of house arrest is the pending petition before the Supreme Court (SC) questioning the constitutionality of a joint panel of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
The DOJ-Comelec panel investigated the electoral sabotage charges filed against Arroyo, which eventually led to the latter’s arrest.
“Hospital and house arrests are accepted detention measures in lieu of prison confinement, particularly during the pre-trial and pre-conviction phases of criminal prosecution,” the House leader said as several of his colleagues pushed that Arroyo be detained in jail.
“Pending final conviction, detention is not a punitive action but a custodial safeguard,” Lagman stressed.
Officials of the Pasay RTC Branch 112 led by Judge Mupas visited the possible detention sites for the former President, including the 4 x 10 meter-room at the Southern Police District in Taguig.
Also considered are the Philippine Orthopedic Center and the Philippine Veteran’s Hospital.
Meanwhile, seven progressive party-list lawmakers filed House Resolution 1942 expressing their objection to the alleged special treatment being accorded to their colleague, Pampanga Representative Arroyo.
“After the forced admission that Arroyo is fit to leave hospital, Arroyo moved to evade jail detention and sought for another special treatment — house arrest, which may well turn to be ‘detention’ in a mansion or rest house, giver her huge wealth and property,” they stated.

The party-list representatives added Arroyo should be jailed in a regular detention cell while her case is being heard just like any other person charged with a capital offense.
Those who filed the resolution include Representatives Teddy Casiño and Neri Colmenares (Bayan Muna), Rafael Mariano (Anakpawis), Luz Ilagan and Emmi de Jesus (Gabriela), Raymond Palatino (Kabataan) and Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers). (Sunnex)
Source : http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/11/28/global-backlash-over-arroyo-arrest-unfounded-192985

Over the holidays, travelers from Manila going to the north for a getaway destination choose Pampanga Angeles City and Clark Philippines as a popular holiday location. Aside from day-time sports and other activities, visitors look for a good wine shop to buy some good wine to celebrate a special occasion or just to make the holiday and vacation more enjoyable. Many wine lovers pick up some good bottles from Clark Wine Center to bring to dinner in some of the good restaurants in Angeles City, Clark Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the most famous fine dining restaurants outside of Manila, located in Mimosa Leisure Estate inside Clark Airbase or Clark Freeport Zone as it is now called. This popular restaurant has become a tourist attraction, a place to visit for those who are in Pampanga, Subic, Angeles City and of course, Clark Philippines. The famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center supplies this famous restaurant in Clark Philippines as well as other good restaurants in Angeles City Pampanga with good wines of all price ranges.

Wine is becoming increasingly popular in Manila and other cities in the Philippines. Wine lovers in Manila travel to the north to visit Clark, Pampanga to shop for good and rate vintage wines at good duty-free prices. The most frequently visited liquor shop in Manila and wine shop in Pampanga is Clark Wine Center. This highly recommended wine shop located outside Manila near Angeles City, Pampanga in North Luzon is known for offering a great selection of fine vintage wine that is good quality and good value for money also.

This well-known wine shop is a famous shopping destination for wine enthusiasts in Manila and wine lovers from other cities in Asia including Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, Osaka and Tokyo.

Famous Philippines wine supplier known for its line of fine vintage wines, Yats Wine Cellars was established in 2000 to address the requirement of a growing population of wine enthusiasts in the Philippines. This 5-star wine shop caters to the discerning client who requires these qualities in their wines: (1) excellent value, (2) large selection of labels and vintages to choose from and (3) wines properly aged for full enjoyment.

Public wine tastings are held from time to time in Clark and sometimes in Manila. Tickets range from p500 to p1500 for these themed events that are professionally run –no wine merchants sponsorship, pushy salesmen or tacky banners to ruin the evening. Each ticket contains a certain number of stubs that can be redeemed for a tasting pour of a wine among those on a line-up which often contains wines that are quite old and expensive.

Things to do in Clark Pampanga Philippines: do a little wine shopping at the famous wine shop outside of Manila called Clark Wine Center. One of the favorite places to visit in Pampanga Clark Freeport is the white building along M A Roxas highway of Clark which houses over 2000 selections of fine vintage wines. The Clark Wine Center is one of the places to visit, a tourist spot and a good shopping place for those staying in Angeles City, Subic or Clark Pampanga. This famous wine shop is well known among wine lovers all over Asia as the best place to find rare vintage wines.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com