Contrary to the announcement of Supreme Court Spokesman Midas Marquez that the High Court voted 8-5 reiterating the temporary restraining order on the Watch List Order of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima issued on former President Gloria Arroyo and her husband, a highly reliable source said the tribunal, voting 7-6, actually declared its Nov. 15 TRO inoperative following the failure of the Arroyo camp to comply with all the conditions set by the court.
The seven who voted that the TRO is inoperative were Senior Justice Antonio Carpio, Associate Justices Maria Lourdes Sereno, Bienvenido Reyes, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Jose Mendoza, Martin Villarama and Roberto Abad.
The six who stood firm on the TRO were Chief Justice Renato Corona, Presbitero Velasco Jr., Arturo Brion, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin and Jose Perez.
The source said the Arroyos did not comply with the second condition requiring the former First Couple to appoint a legal representative to receive subpoenas, orders and other legal processes on their behalf while they are abroad.
The two other conditions were a bond of P2 million each and a requirement that they report to Philippine consulates in the countries they will visit. The legal counsels of the Arroyos also have to coordinate their travels.
The Department of Justice last month placed Arroyo, her husband and about 40 others accused of electoral sabotage in the 2007 elections on the watch list. Their suspected involvement in the poll fraud in North Cotabato, South Cotabato, and Maguindanao is being investigated by a joint panel of the Commmission on Elections and DOJ.
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