President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is joined by Former President and Incumbent Pampanga Second District Representative Gloria Arroyo and Sec. Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President as they witness the program proper during the 116th Labor Day Celebration at the IEC Convention Center in Cebu City on May 1, 2018. RICHARD MADELO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
President Rodrigo Duterte has tapped former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as his adviser on Clark flagship programs and projects, Malacañang announced on Thursday.
“We confirm that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has signed the appointment of former president and former speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as presidential adviser on Clark flagship programs and projects,” Palace spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.
Roque said Arroyo would be paid P1.00 per year.
“Arroyo’s wisdom and her vast experience as a former head of state and head of government, coupled with her great concern in her native Pampanga, would be valuable as she would assist the Administration in the planning and execution of programs and projects to turn Clark as the next premier metropolis of Asia,” Roque said.
Arroyo was Philippine president from January 2001 to June 2010.
Post-presidency, she became congresswoman of her home province, Pampanga.
She was arrested on Nov. 18, 2011 following the filing of a complaint for electoral sabotage by the Commission on Elections.
Arroyo was transferred to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City where she served her hospital arrest until she was released on bail on July 25, 2012.
In October 2012, she was rearrested over alleged misuse of P366 million in lottery funds.
Arroyo was placed under hospital arrest due to “life-threatening conditions” which had caused the former president to frequently choke and need daily sunlight exposure, physical therapy, monitoring of blood pressure and constant medication.
On July 19, 2016, during the first year of Duterte’s administration, she was acquitted by the Supreme Court with an 11-4 vote.
Under Duterte’s term, Arroyo was also controversially elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives on July 23, 2018. John Ezekiel J. Hirro