LEGAL WIFE TO CLAIM IGGY'S BODY
MANILA,
JANUARY 31, 2012 (ABS-CBN) By
Danny Buenafe, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau -
MANILA, Philippines -- Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo Jr. was
set to leave politics after his medical treatment in London, according to his
pastor.
Jesus the Voice of Hope Global Ministries pastor Edwin Bulaon said Arroyo has
been active in spiritual renewal and divine transformation activities with the
group before he succumbed to death last Thursday.
He said Arroyo promised a lot of things ever since he had a "spiritual
healing." Arroyo had believed his health condition would improve sans a liver
transplant.
One such plan was to leave the world of politics upon returning to the
Philippines, Bulaon said.
On Wednesday night in London, however, Arroyo suffered a cardiac arrest. "At
that point, an ambulance was called for him in London. He was revived at the
hospital but he went into a coma. This morning, his heart stopped beating," his
brother, former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, said in a statement on Thursday.
Later that day, life support systems were removed from his body.
The lawmaker's daughter, Bianca, said Arroyo has indeed gone through a
spiritual transformation. At some point, her father had even asked her to
accompany him to a prayer meeting. The prayer meeting lasted five hours.
Arroyo's body will remain in London for a few more days. His legal wife,
Aleli, is set to fly to London to claim the body.
Daughter sent to retrieve Iggy's remains By RG
Cruz, ABS-CBN News Posted at 01/27/2012 4:41 PM | Updated as of 01/27/2012 10:37
PM
MANILA, Philippines – The Arroyo family has sent the eldest daughter of
Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo Jr. to London to oversee the
repatriation of the congressman's remains.
The Negros lawmaker's chief of staff Bong Ruado told ABS-CBN News that
Arroyo's daughter Bianca is expected to arrive in London from Las Vegas.
Ruado said Arroyo's other daughter Dina cannot fly yet as she just gave birth
earlier this week here in Manila.
Other relatives from the Tuason side are also expected to fly in to London to
help.
There is no time table yet for the repatriation as the family still has to
deal with documentation requirements in London.
Arroyo's eldest brother, former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, cannot fly to
London as he is covered by a hold departure order issued by the Sandiganbayan.
Representatives Sonny Angara and Lorenzo Tanada III, meanwhile, expressed
their condolences to the Arroyos for their loss.
Arroyo died Thursday after life-support systems were removed from his body.
He was earlier declared "clinically dead" and was only relying on life support
systems after he suffered a cardiac arrest Wednesday night.
Grace Ibuna may face raps over Iggy Arroyo's death
reports from Jay Ruiz, RG Cruz, Danny Buenafe, ABS-CBN News Posted at
01/27/2012 8:39 PM | Updated as of 01/28/2012 12:15 PM
Mike Arroyo denies telling Grace to pull the plug
[PHOTO - Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr.'s second wife, Alicia Arroyo, and
common-law wife Grace Ibuna. Composite/File
Photo]
MANILA, Philippines - Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio "Iggy" Tuason Arroyo
Jr.'s common-law wife, Grace Ibuna, may be sued by the late lawmaker's legal
wife for allegedly giving the go-signal to pull the plug on their
clinically-dead husband.
Alicia Arroyo's lawyer, Lorna Kapunan, said they are planning to file charges
against Ibuna for declaring that she is the legal wife of Iggy.
"To misrepresent that you are the spouse, when in fact you are not, to
misrepresent or to actually go ahead and pull the plug, these are all multiple
criminal offenses," Kapunan said.
Alicia said she would never have pulled the plug on Iggy.
Although their marriage was in the process of being annulled, she said it was
never approved. She added the late lawmaker stopped going to their family home
in La Vista, Quezon City in 2005.
"At the end of the day, he needs peace and healing. If we're all peaceful
here, maybe it's easier for him to have everlasting happiness. It's all I do, I
just pray. I lift everything up to the Lord," she said.
Clinically dead
Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel 'Mike' Arroyo told ABS-CBN News on
Thursday that his brother was clinically dead and was only relying on
life-support systems after he suffered a cardiac arrest in London, England on
Wednesday.
He later announced that his brother died after life-support systems were
removed from his body.
No one was with Iggy in London, except for Ibuna, whom he has lived with for
years, according to ABS-CBN London correspondent Gene Alcantara.
Ibuna has declined to comment publicly about the threat of a lawsuit, ABS-CBN
Europe News Bureau chief Danny Buenafe said on TV Patrol on Friday.
Buenafe said he was able to talk to Ibuna, who said off-camera that the
decision to pull the plug on Iggy Arroyo did not come from her.
Ibuna reportedly talked to Mike before doctors removed the life-support
system from Iggy.
PHOTO - Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel 'Mike' Arroyo and
his brother Rep. Ignacio "Iggy" Tuason Arroyo Jr. File Photo
Mike, meanwhile, said on Friday that he did not order that his brother be
removed from life support. "I did not order that," he said.
He said Ibuna asked him what to do. He reportedly told her, "I told her it's
up to you. You're the one there."
"I never said that [ordered to pull the plug]. Sinabi niya sa akin kanina. I
never told her to pull the plug," he said.
"She was asking me what to do. Better you discuss it with the daughter. She's
telling us the hospital, prinessure siya ng hospital."
Ibuna said Bianca, the late lawmaker's daughter with his first wife, Marilen
Jacinto, is expected to issue a statement regarding the issue after she arrives
in London from Las Vegas to retrieve her father's remains.
Ibuna is a former girlfriend of actor Gabby Concepcion. They have a daughter,
Gabrielle.
Liver ailment
The younger Arroyo went to London last year to seek treatment for a liver
ailment. He was listed as one of the lawmakers with the most number of absences
in the House of Representatives for 2011.
He earlier told ABS-CBN News last December that he had to stay longer in
London because of his ongoing treatment.
He had also urged President Benigno Aquino III to show compassion to his
sister-in-law, former President Gloria Arroyo, who is under hospital arrest at
the Veterans Memorial Medical Center for electoral sabotage.
'Jose Pidal'
The younger Arroyo figured in the news in 2003 after he claimed ownership of
the multi-million-peso "Jose Pidal" account, allegedly owned by his brother.
He again allegedly covered up for his brother after he claimed that he leased
5 helicopters from Lionair Inc. since 2004. Two of the second-hand choppers were
allegedly sold to the Philippine National Police for $700,000 in 2009.
Arroyo's claim ran contrary to claims made by Lionair President Archibald Po
that Mike Arroyo purchased and used the choppers before they were sold to the
PNP.
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
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