Erap to GMA; Have courage to tell truth

April 3, 2008

FORMER President Joseph Estrada has an early wish for President Arroyo on her 61st birthday on Saturday: “Have the courage to tell the truth and face the consequences.”

Speaking at the Rotary Club of Makati West meeting at the Mandarin Hotel, Estrada reiterated his call for the Arroyo administration to heed the clamor for the truth behind the $329 million national broadband network deal with China’s ZTE Corp.

‘My wish for her is to be accountable and transparent so that the clamor of the people for the truth will once and for all end,” Estrada said.

“And then she has to face the consequences. I don’t think she will be all alone, although, she will be with her husband,” Estrada added.

The name of Jose Miguel Arroyo cropped up during the testimonies of NBN-ZTE witnesses businessman Jose “Joey” de Venecia III, Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada and Dante Madriaga before the Senate’s ZTE inquiry.

Estrada and former President Corazon Aquino have called on Arroyo to step down to peacefully resolve the political crisis brought about by allegations of corruption.

Estrada called on Arroyo not to stop her officials from appearing in Senate investigations.

“When I was still the president I did not stop my Cabinet from facing public inquiries, including the impeachment trial. She should instruct her Cabinet members to tell the truth before the Senate and the Lower House,” he added.

Estrada was ousted in January 2001 on charges of corruption. He was detained for more than six years and convicted of plunder last September. After a month he was granted presidential pardon.

Estrada reiterated that he will not seek public office in 2010 despite the clamor of his supporters.

“I have no intention of running. The years that I’ve spent in public service is enough already,” he said.

Estrada served as mayor of the then municipality of San Juan, senator and vice president.

He said his role in 2010 would be to unify the opposition and to ensure that the United Opposition would field only one candidate.

As to who could be the standard-bearer of the opposition, Estrada said: “The election is still two years away for me to say who will be the candidate for opposition. All I can say is that they are all capable of leading the country.”

But he hinted that those who fared well in opinion surveys will have an edge.

Several names have been floated such as Senators Loren Legarda, Panfilo Lacson, Manuel Villar, Mar Roxas, Francis Joseph Escudero and Makati Mayor and UNO president Jejomar Binay.

Estrada also criticized the Arroyo government for what he said is the worsening corruption and poverty situation which he said negates whatever economic gains have been made.

“The scourge of corruption continues today without let-up. We discover anomaly after anomaly, scandal after scandal, and exposé after exposé,” he said.

He cited the recent survey conducted by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy which identified the Philippines as the most corrupt country in Asia.

“Poverty is widespread because funds to fight poverty have either been stolen or diverted, as in the case of the ‘Joc Joc’ Bolante fertilizer scam,” he said.

BY ASHZEL HACHERO

source: http://www.malaya.com.ph/apr04/news6.htm

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