“UMPISA lang po  ito  ng proseso,”

Thus said President Benigno S. Aquino III as he assured the Arroyo camp that the former president would be treated fairly and be afforded the opportunity to defend herself in court.

Aquino said in his arrival statement  from Bali, Indonesia, that the process of making people accountable for their past misdemeanors has just begun.

“Magkakaroon po siya ng patas na pagkakataong ipagtanggol ang sarili sa korte, dahil karapatan ito ng bawat Pilipino. Iyan lang naman ang nararapat, ’di po ba? Na ang prosesong dadaanan ng tindero o tsuper, ng guro o basurero, ng pulis o clerk mula sa pinakamataas hanggang sa pinakamababang hanay ay pare-pareho, walang kinikilingan, at nakatuon lamang sa paghahanap ng katotohanan, at sa pananagot ng may kasalanan,” the President said.

The President said that the process should be done to  prevent more abuses from happening.

“Ang batayang prinsipyo sa likod ng mga repormang ito: dapat managot ang maysala, dahil kung hindi, para na rin nating iniwang bukas ang pinto para sa mga nais pang manlapastangan sa taumbayan. Uulitin ko lang po: umpisa pa lang ito ng proseso,” President Aquino said

Arroyo is now under police custody and under hospital arrest after she was charged with electoral sabotage by the Commission on Elections.