Local News: Mike Appeals to Aleli, Grace: Stop Dispute for Iggy’s Sake

Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo yesterday appealed to Alicia Rita “Aleli” Morales-Arroyo, the estranged wife of the late Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo, and to Grace Ibuna, Iggy’s long-time partner, to put an end to the dispute between them over his brother’s remains.

“Those women should make peace first so Iggy can rest in peace. For the sake of Iggy they should not fight now,” said Mike, husband of former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Mike has been trying to distance himself from the controversy between Aleli and Grace but is now apparently drawn to the fight as it threatens to blow up into a legal issue in London.
Both women have hired respective legal counsels as they set their sights for confrontation in London and Manila courts over their respective claims over the opposition lawmaker’s remains.

On Saturday, Aleli failed to bring home the remains of Iggy as she reportedly ran into complications in London, particularly after the funeral parlor refused to turn over the body to her, reports said.

Grace, who has been living with the congressman for the past six years, has somehow prevailed on the director of the funeral parlor not to release the body to Aleli, reports added.
It was Ibuna who reportedly asked doctors to remove Iggy from the life-support system after he was declared brain-dead.

Iggy died last Jan. 26 of heart attack in a hospital in London where he was an outpatient since October undergoing treatment for cirrhosis of the liver.

Aleli had flown to London last Wednesday to bring home her husband’s body. She was expecting to be back in Manila with the remains with her last Saturday.

A member of the Arroyo family in Manila reportedly said he has received information that Ibuna was even planning to cremate Arroyo’s remains.

Before she left for London, Aleli had laid out the funeral and burial plans for her husband, contracted the services of the Loyola Memorial Services whose personnel waited in vain at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for the body to arrive Saturday.

Before she departed for London, Aleli also gave express orders not to allow Ibuna to attend any of the rites. She has threatened to file criminal charges against Ibuna, saying it was her husband’s wish to be taken to their family home in La Vista, Quezon City, and buried beside his mother at the Manila North Cemetery.

Ibuna and her father, former San Juan City Mayor Nicanor Ibuna, have reportedly hired a British lawyer to stop the funeral parlor from turning over the body to Aleli and officials of the Philippine embassy to the Court of St. James.* (To be continued)