The High Court in London was the setting last Friday as Grace Ibuna took out an injunction preventing Ignacio Arroyo's body being moved - much to the annoyance of the Arroyo family
In a dramatic twist to the "Iggy" Arroyo fiasco it can now be revealed that Grace Ibuna, Arroyo's partner at the time he died in the London Clinic, had taken out a High Court injunction last Friday in the British courts to prevent Arroyo's body being moved.
His wife, Alicia "Aleli" Morales-Arroyo, from whom he was estranged, had travelled to London accompanied by her lawyer, Lorna Kapunan, to claim the body to return to the Philippines for the wake and burial. They returned to Manila empty handed on Saturday.
There were also reports quoting former FG "Mike" Arroyo that his brother's eldest daughter Bianca was going to be returning with the body today or Tuesday. This obviously cannot happen.
Aleli Arroyo at a hastliy convened press conference held Monday evening after an emergency application to the RTC proving she was still legally married to Iggy - this document will no doubt be part of her evidence prior to this Friday's High Court action in London to get the injunction lifted
Have You Been Affected? Click Here
This now puts Ibuna on a collision course with the Arroyo family.
The injunction was taken out against the London funeral director's (parlor) who had been first approached by Ibuna to handle the arrangements.
Funeral directors JH Kenyon (above) had been shown documents stating that Ibuna was the next of kin and legally authorized to instruct Kenyon's to collect the body from the mortuary and prepare "Iggy's" remains for eventual repatriation to Negros for burial. They then proceeded to act as they thought for the nearest family member.
In the middle of last week, reports came out there were Arroyo family members who travelled to London and that there was a potential row brewing, notably because the husband and wife, although estranged, were still legally married as their anullment had not yet gone through.
The video below is of an interview with lawyer Lorna Kapunan prior to the first dash to London
At the time, it was being reported that the Philippine embassy in London had mediated and got both parties to call a truce so as to get the body back home. These reports can now be seen to have been premature.
Last Friday, Grace Ibuna went to the High Court in London to get an emergency seven day injunction on the innocent funeral director's. The effect of this is that the body will remain with JH Kenyon's until the end of this week, when Ibuna either allows the repatriation of the body or there will have to be a further hearing in the High Court.
Aleli Arroyo and her lawyer Lorna Kapunan being interviewed in London just prior to flying back to PHL last Friday after being thwarted by Grace Ibuna's injunction instructing the undertaker JH Kenyon not to move Iggy's remains till at least this coming Friday
The leaves a neutral London company in the middle of a battle royal in the Philippines.
Kenyon's were totally unaware of the situation surrounding "Iggy" Arroyo's complicated personal life and believed they were just handling the end of the tragic events of his unexpected death. When contacted by Balita Pinoy, the branch of Kenyon's handling the remains referred us to their parent company, Dignity, for a statement.
A spokeman for Dignity would only confirm the very basics, issuing a brief statement:
"Our staff have acted correctly at all times but are now caught up in the dispute between the two ladies who are trying to make the funeral arrangements.
A client visited our premises on Friday 27 January to arrange the repatriation of the late Ignacio Arroyo. Our client claimed to be the next of kin for the deceased and had the correct paperwork to begin these arrangements.
A High Court Injunction was taken out by our client on Friday 3 February instructing us to do nothing with the body of the deceased for 7 days and we are complying with that."
The spokesman added that Dignity had seen reports from the Philippine press that the body had already been cremated (as Grace Ibuna wishes). This he added was untrue.
The lawyers will now probably take over in the High Court in London this Friday, with an innocent funeral director left as piggy-in-the-middle of a row between two women fighting over one man's body.
And although it is known embassy officials in London have attempted to sort this mess out, they are pursuing a strictly "No Comment" policy when asked for their version of events.
Want To Contribute Stories/Features? Click Here
3
Posted at: 04:42 | Add Comment
| 
| 
del.icio.us