The Supreme Court has upheld a 2016 decision by the Sandiganbayan to dismiss graft charges against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in connection with a $329-million national broadband network project with Chinese company ZTE Corp.

In a resolution issued on Oct. 14 and made public on Thursday, the high court rejected the petition filed by state prosecutors to overturn the anti-graft court’s ruling for lack of merit.

The court said the petition violated Ms. Arroyo’s “constitutional right against double jeopardy” or a person’s right not to be tried twice for the same crime.

The Sandiganbayan In 2016 ruled the prosecution had failed to prove any direct or indirect interest for personal gain on Ms. Arroyo’s part during deliberations on the national broadband deal.

The high tribunal said prosecutors failed to prove that the anti-graft court had gravely abused its discretion in dismissing the corruption case. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

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