This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-asia-15786733
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Philippines' Gloria Arroyo faces vote fraud charges | Philippines' Gloria Arroyo faces vote fraud charges |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Philippine election officials have filed charges against former President Gloria Arroyo for massive vote tampering. | |
| The cause, to be brought by the Election Commission, will be the first criminal case to be filed against her. | The cause, to be brought by the Election Commission, will be the first criminal case to be filed against her. |
| She is involved in a bitter dispute with the current government, which has banned her from leaving the country. | She is involved in a bitter dispute with the current government, which has banned her from leaving the country. |
| Mrs Arroyo denies any wrongdoing, and her lawyer dismissed the charges as fabrication. | Mrs Arroyo denies any wrongdoing, and her lawyer dismissed the charges as fabrication. |
| For months, speculation has swirled that Mrs Arroyo was about to be charged - either with vote fraud, or with embezzlement. | For months, speculation has swirled that Mrs Arroyo was about to be charged - either with vote fraud, or with embezzlement. |
| But Mrs Arroyo has been fighting in the courts to be allowed to leave the country, saying she has a rare bone disease and needs specialist treatment. | But Mrs Arroyo has been fighting in the courts to be allowed to leave the country, saying she has a rare bone disease and needs specialist treatment. |
| Earlier this week the Supreme Court overruled the government's travel ban, and Mrs Arroyo arrived at an airport in a wheelchair and a neck-brace. | Earlier this week the Supreme Court overruled the government's travel ban, and Mrs Arroyo arrived at an airport in a wheelchair and a neck-brace. |
| But the government stopped her from leaving. | But the government stopped her from leaving. |
| The Election Commission said it would file charges later, and it would then be a matter for the courts to decide whether to issue an arrest warrant. | The Election Commission said it would file charges later, and it would then be a matter for the courts to decide whether to issue an arrest warrant. |
| Officials said Mrs Arroyo, who was president between 2001 and 2010, was accused of ordering large-scale tampering with official returns in the 2007 Senate elections that cheated an opposition candidate out of victory. | Officials said Mrs Arroyo, who was president between 2001 and 2010, was accused of ordering large-scale tampering with official returns in the 2007 Senate elections that cheated an opposition candidate out of victory. |
| The maximum sentence is life in prison. | The maximum sentence is life in prison. |
| Meanwhile, the former president's lawyers are still fighting in the courts to overturn the travel ban. | Meanwhile, the former president's lawyers are still fighting in the courts to overturn the travel ban. |
| There was speculation that she could again try to leave the country later on Friday. | There was speculation that she could again try to leave the country later on Friday. |