A special appellate collegial court in the Philippines has ordered the arrest of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on charges of embezzlement.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported on its website on Thursday that the Sandiganbayan, or a special appellate collegial court, issued the arrest order for the former president in a case involving alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds.
The court also signed arrest orders for nine others, including former officials at the sweepstakes office.
In the case filed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Ms Arroyo and others are accused of plundering 300 million pesos from the office between July 2007 and January 2010.
It is the third criminal case to be brought against the former president of the Philipines, the other two being for electoral sabotage and corruption. She is currently free on bail. The latest charge is a non-bailable offence, the newspaper reported on its website http://www.inquirer.net/