DISPUTE / IGGY WON'T BE HOME SOON
MANILA, FEBRUARY 7, 2012 (BULLETIN) By BEN R. ROSARIO - Former First
Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo Monday aired a strong appeal for an end to the
dispute between the late Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo's live-in
partner and his legal wife over his remains.
"Those women should make peace first so Iggy can rest in peace. For the sake
of Iggy they should not fight now," said Arroyo, husband of former president and
Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The former first gentleman has been trying to distance himself from the
controversy between Iggy's legal wife Alicia Rita "Aleli" Morales-Arroyo and
live-in partner Grace Ibuna but is now apparently drawn to the fight as it
threatens to blow up into a legal issue in London.
Mrs. Arroyo and Ibuna have hired respective legal counsels as they set their
sights for confrontation in London and Manila courts over their respective
claims over the opposition lawmaker's remains.
Lawyer Lorna Kapunan, counsel for Mrs. Arroyo, said that despite their
failure to bring home the body last Saturday, they remain confident that the
funeral parlor holding the remains will give in to the decision of the
Philippine embassy in London to allow her client custody of the body.
Through a London-based solicitor, Ibuna was able to stop Aleli and Kapunan
from bringing home the remains of Arroyo which are being kept at the Kenyon
Funeral Directors.
Kapunan admitted that they will have to rely heavily on the Philippine
embassy's help to be able to convince the Kenyon funeral director to release the
body to her client.
"No way will we submit to the jurisdiction of the courts in London," Kapunan
said as she pointed out that the subject of the claim and the claimants
themselves are all Filipinos.
FROM THE INQUIRER
Ignacio Arroyo won't be home soon, says lawyer
Philippine Daily Inquirer 3:57 am | Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
The remains of Negros Occidental Representative Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo
Jr. won't be arriving anytime soon after his partner Grace Ibuna filed an
injunction to stop the transfer, according to the late lawmaker's legal wife.
Contrary to the perception that she and Ibuna were fighting over the remains,
Alicia "Aleli" Morales-Arroyo said she did not have to slug it out with Ibuna
because she had rights over the body.
Her lawyer, Lorna Kapunan, meanwhile cautioned the late congressman's family,
particularly his older brother Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo, to be wary of any
information they were being given. She said they were being misinformed about
the return of Iggy's remains.
The body "won't be coming home anytime soon," she said.
In a press conference Monday evening, Kapunan said that Ibuna, through her
solicitor (lawyer), was granted an injunction by a London court effectively
stopping the transport of Iggy Arroyo's remains. The injunction was good for
seven days and a hearing on whether to extend the relief was scheduled for
Friday.
Aleli Arroyo presented a certificate from a Quezon City court declaring that
her marriage to Iggy Arroyo had yet to be annulled. The document was sent to the
Philippine Embassy in London and to the solicitor of the funeral parlor handling
Iggy's remains to assert her claim as the legal wife.
She also appealed to the media to be more circumspect in its reporting,
saying that Ibuna was being portrayed as the aggrieved one. Aleli said it was
she who was trying to avoid any conflict. Miko Morelos
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
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