By ABS-CBNnews.com and U.S. News Agency / Asian

The legal wife of the late Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo arrived in Manila Saturday night, but without the remains of the congressman.

Aleli Arroyo, the estranged wife of Iggy, and her lawyer Atty. Lorna Kapunan arrived at 9:31 p.m. onboard flight EK334.

Aleli was expected to bring home his remains over the weekend, but the funeral parlor where his remains are being kept received instructions from Iggy’s live-in partner, Grace Ibuna, that the lawmaker will be cremated in the United Kingdom. Grace was at Iggy’s bedside before he passed away on January 26.

“Nagulat lang kami kaninang umaga, London time, nakausap namin ‘yung solicitor ng funeral parlor. Ang sabi ng lawyer ng funeral parlor, nakatanggap daw sila ng latest instruction sa kliyente nila. So I said, sino kliyente ninyo because kausap namin si Bianca [daughter], ang sinabi ng funeral parlor, ang kliyente nila isang Grace Ibuna na ang latest instructions daw ay to cremate congressman Iggy in UK,” said Kapunan.

Kapunan accompanied Aleli to the UK and her camp had been talking to Bianca, the eldest daughter of Iggy with first wife Marilyn Jacinto.

“So ang sabi namin, how can that be and sino ba ‘yung Grace Ibuna na nagbibigay ng instructions, hindi naman siya ang next of kin? Ang sabi ng funeral parlor, through their lawyer, tumawag daw ang lawyer ni Grace Ibuna at sinabi na ang sinabi daw ni Grace annulled na ‘yung marriage (with Aleli),” Kapunan said.

Kapunan stressed that the funeral parlor lawyer should have exercised due diligence by investigating or asking to be provided with court records on the alleged annulment of the marriage.

“The best evidence is a court record on annulment. Order ng court. Kayo ba ay humingi ng kopya ng court order na annulled ang marriage? Maniniwala ba sila sa hearsay evidence? Kung tatlo ang nagpunta doon nagke-claim na next of kin sila anong gagawin nila? Paniniwalaan nilang lahat?” asked Kapunan.

“The Philippine Embassy has certified that Aleli Alicia Arroyo is the valid (wife),” she added.

Battle goes to court

She said the whole family is shocked because they had been confident they would be able to bring Arroyo’s remains home with them.

They were also told that Ibuna’s lawyer will call to inform them that a case has been filed in a court in London.

“Hindi po namin alam ang kaso kasi by the time na umalis kami, mag seserve daw sila ng complaint sa embassy at kay Aleli Arroyo. Pero ang sinabi ng lawyer this is to prevent, siguro injunction, the release of the remains today to the family,” she said.

Kapunan said they will question the jurisdiction of a UK court.

“A UK court cannot have jurisdiction when all the parties involved are Filipino citizens, and when the law to be interpreted is Philippine law, and when the Republic of the Philippines, through its embassy…their official position is in favor of the legal wife,” she explained.

She said noted that this will also have serious international repercussion “kasi ang sabi ng lawyer pati yung Philippine Embassy daw, ise-serve ng kopya ng complaint”.

“Masyado namang garapal,” she said, adding that they will also seek the help of the speaker of the House of Representatives, Feliciano Belmonte.

Iggy is the youngest brother of former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. — With reports from Danny Buenafe, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau; radio dzMM; Bettina Magsaysay, ABS-CBN News