MANILA - The Supreme Court (SC) has again extended the halt order on former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Arroyo's plunder trial over the alleged misuse of over P365-million in confidential Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) funds during her stint as President.

The high court, during last Tuesday's regular en banc session, extended its status quo ante order (SQAO) for another 60 days, or up to April 20, 2016.

This is the second extension of the halt order.

On October, 20, 2015, the high court first issued a 30-day SQAO in favor of Arroyo, directing the Sandiganbayan First Division, which has jurisdiction over the case, to cease from proceeding with the trial. After the order lapsed in November, the high court again extended the SQAO for another 60 days or up until Feb 20, 2016.

Arroyo's camp asked for an extension of the halt order in a motion filed on February 4, 2016. This motion was granted, thus the extension of the SQAO until April 20, 2016.

In her petition, Arroyo urged the high court to reverse the Sandiganbayan's resolutions, dated April 6, 2015 and September 10, 2015, that junked her demurrer to evidence, a plea raised when a defendant believes the evidence against him or her is weak.

“[N]ot a single exhibit of the 637 exhibits offered by the prosecution nor a single testimony of the 21 witnesses of the prosecution was offered by the prosecution to prove that [Arroyo] amassed, accumulated, or acquired even a single peso of the alleged ill-gotten wealth amounting to P365,997,915.00 or any part of that amount alleged in the Information,” Arroyo argued.

Except for Arroyo, all the other accused in the plunder case have been granted bail.