The mistress of a controversial Congressman in the Philippines, Representative Iggy Arroyo, brother of the equally controversial first Gentleman Mike Arroyo, who died in London this week from Cardiac arrest, might be charged for misrepresenting the legal wife when she allowed the hospital to pull off the plug of the life support of the congressman after he was declared brain dead. The mistress, Grace Ibuna was with the Congressman in London since last year to accompany him with his treatment. The legal wife, Mrs. Alicia “Alelie” Morales Arroyo lamented that she is still the legal wife of the congressman and should be the one to have the last say for Arroyo’s funeral and burial preferences. She and the late congressman filed an annulment but later was discontinued due to an undisclosed reason. To that effect, Mrs. Arroyo remains the legal wife of the Congressman and is entitled to the rights given to her by the law.

Her lawyer however, Atty. Lorna Kapunan, said on national TV that the mistress might be charged for misrepresenting the real wife in the hospital if found liable. Civil laws dictates that the immediate family, i.e., the legal wife for that matter, should have the final say when it comes to end-of-life decisions. According to Mrs. Arroyo, if she was the one to decide about the life support, she won’t pull the plug. Mrs. Arroyo believe in the dignity of life and would have decided otherwise for her husband.

It is not yet clear if Ms. Ibuna was indeed the one who gave the doctors the permission to pull the plug off the life support. News Reporters on National TV stated that the orders could have come from the daughter of the Congressman who was also in London, but verification is still needed. As of this writing, there is no clear evidence that Ms. Ibuna has misrepresented Mrs. Alicia arroyo in the end-of-life decision. If found liable Miss Ibuna could face charges under the Philippine law. Mrs. Alicia Arroyo is on her way to London to reclaim the body of the late husband and assert her legal rights as the late Congressman’s legal wife.

Euthanasia is a controversial issue among Catholics and healthcare practitioners. The Catholic Church prohibits Euthanasia or mercy killing and is morally condemned as an act of murder akin to abortion and contraception.

Adultery and Concubinage or affairs outside the sanctity of marriage is also considered a mortal sin and is prohibited by the Catholic Church. A priest has the right to refuse administration of communion if the communicant is known to be in an illicit or adulterous affair. The Eucharist which we Catholics believe as the real body and blood of Christ, is denied on  people living in mortal sin, such as people living in adultery, concubinage, etc, out of respect for the sanctity of the Lord’s body and blood.

Representative Iggy Arroyo is the brother-in-law of the former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the brother of former first Gentleman Mike Arroyo. His name was often dragged into several political controversies including the Jose Pidal scam which he admitted that it was him and not his brother, the first Gentleman. Arroyo left the Philippines for London late last year to undergo treatment for Liver Cirrhosis.