Senate issued arrest order for Ligot
Posted on March 23rd, 2011
Nine senators signed the arrest/detention order issued by the blue ribbon committee headed by Senator Teofista Guingona III for former military comptroller Jacinto Ligot. For humanitarian consideration, his wife Erlinda Ligot was not included in the arrest order.
Those who signed the order were Guingona, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senators Gregorio Honasan, Franklin Drilon, Serge Osmeña, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Pia Cayetano, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Ralph Recto, and Ramon “Bong” Revilla.
Guingona recommended the arrest and detention of the Ligots when they failed to show up during Thursday’s hearing of the committee on the alleged irregularities in the military citing health reasons. However, when the Senate sent its doctor Marinao Blancha to the Ligot residence, the couple were found to be fit to attend the hearing – Ligot has no flu and the health condition of his wife was normal, contrary to what was stated in the letter sent by their lawyer to the committee head.
Blancha said that during their examination, all their finding on Mrs. Ligot were normal, including her BP which was 120 over 80. However, he said that Mrs. Ligot was anxious and nervous, at times she cried, the doctor said, “She could have attended the hearing.”
In the case of Mr. Ligot, the senate physician said that at the time of their examination, he has no fever. “The only pertinent finding was the increased blood pressure, which was 160 over 190. He also complains of nasal congestion,” Blancha said. He added that Mr. Ligot’s condition was better than that of his wife. The doctor reiterated that the couple could still have attended the hearing in the Senate.
Rafael Zialcita, the legal counsel of the Ligots, sent a letter to the committee head Thursday morning citing health reasons for the couple’s failure to attend the Senate hearing that was investigating the fund scam in the military, as well as the unexplained wealth.
