Ex-Philippine president Arroyo pleads not guilty to graft charges

MANILA: Almost a month after entering a not guilty plea to an electoral sabotage charge, former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo again faced the courts, this time with her husband. Both pleaded not guilty to corruption charges. Security was tight at the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court as former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her husband were arraigned on graft charges in connection with a scrapped US$329 million national broadband network deal in 2007. Both the former president and her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, entered a not guilty plea over accusations of involvement of overpricing in the cancelled national broadband network contract between the Philippine government and China's ZTE Corporation. Mrs Arroyo was indicted on two counts of graft on allegations that she used the presidency to push for the deal despite her knowledge of irregularities and anomalies in the contract. The trial is set to start on June 4. Raul Lambino, Spokesman for former president Gloria Arroyo, said: "We know that she will be vindicated soon. They do not have any evidence. It is part of the prosecution of the Aquino government against her. But we still believe in the judicial process of this country so we are banking on what our judicial system provides." Mrs Arroyo continues to remain in hospital detention for her earlier case of electoral sabotage. This graft case is just one of a string of plunder and graft cases that has been filed against the former president, as her predecessor, President Benigno Aquino, steps up its anti-corruption drive.