The Philippine Online Chronicles

Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is prepared to answer poll fraud charges filed against her, said her legal counsel earlier today.

“If we get the subpoena today, we’ll counter-affidavit earlier than November 3,” said the Pampanga representative’s legal spokesperson Raul Lambino in an television interview Tuesday.

The Arroyo camp has yet to receive a copy of the subpoena from the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Lambino.

"As of this time, I don't know if the summons has been sent by the [DOJ] to the former president. Once we receive [the subpoena] we have to study the charges... we will definitely file our counter-affidavit," said Lambino in an ABS-CBN News interview today.

The DOJ announced Monday that they were sending summons to 36 people in connection to charges for poll fraud during the 2007 elections in Mindanao. Former president Arroyo and husband former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo are included in the list.

The 36 summoned are required to be present or send a representative to appear during the initial hearing set on November 3 and to submit counter-affidavits on or before the initial hearing date.

Respondents are facing preliminary investigation hearing on recommendation of a special joint panel that looked into supposed electoral cheating in the 2007 elections.

The joint DOJ and Commission on Elections (Comelec) panel also recommended preliminary investigation for the following personalities: former Comelec chair Benjamin Abalos Jr., former Comelec commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer, former Justice Secretary and former Team Unity legal counsel Alberto Agra and former Maguindanao governer Andal Ampatuan Sr.