International human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney, wife of Hollywood actor George Clooney, has filed a case against the Philippine government before the United Nations over the arrest and continued detention of former Philippine president Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Clooney filed the case on Feb. 26 before the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, a body under the UN Commission on Human Rights. She wants the UN to persuade the Philippine government to release Arroyo from hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center hospital in Quezon City.
Arroyo, who was elected a representative in the Philippine Congress of the province of Pampanga after she stepped down as president, was arrested for a plunder case related to the alleged misuse of US$8.8 million in intelligence funds of the state lottery firm during her presidency.
Mrs. Arroyo has refused to enter any plea on charges she misused the US$8.8 million in state lottery funds.
Arroyo has been confined at the hospital since 2012 for treatment of a spinal disease. Clooney visited Arroyo at the veteran's hospital in 2013 to see the health condition of the former president.
Atty. Modesto Ticman, one of Arroyo's lawyers, said Clooney's case concerns Arroyo's protracted detention by the Philippine government despite Arroyo's age (she's 67), frail health condition and the Philippine court's continued denial to grant her bail, according to local TV network GMA News.
Ticman said Arroyo is elated Clooney decided to elevate her case to the United Nations.
"She (Arroyo) appreciates what Atty. Amal did. She's happy because Atty. Amal, who has international stature, is concerned about her plight. Now her case has gotten the attention of the UN and the international community," Ticman said.
Atty. Larry Gadon, another of Arroyo's lawyers, said Clooney is convinced the former president is a victim of political persecution. He said Clooney pointed out it was only Arroyo who hasn't been allowed by the "Sandiganbayan" to post bail while her other co-accused in the plunder case were granted the same privilege.
The Sandiganbayan (or People's Court) is a special appellate collegial court.
Mrs. Clooney, 37, specializes in international law, criminal law, human rights and extradition cases. Among her prominent clients are Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Timoshenko.