Estrada no longer minds criticisms

President Estrada said yesterday it would only be a waste of time if he answers all his critics' allegations about him. This is why Press Secretary Ricardo Puno was hired in the first place.

"I no longer mind these criticisms, this fault-finding and this politicking because, if I focus my attention on such, I will be only wasting my time," Mr. Estrada said, referring to a recent article by Newsweek magazine, which gave him a bad review.

What hurt him most, the President said, was the magazine's alleged bias for his critics.

For instance, the President noted that Newsweek had extensively quoted what his critics were saying about his family's involvement in an alleged P460-million fund mess at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Mr. Estrada said only P136 million had been released by this agency and that every single centavo of this amount had been accounted for, even by the Senate.

Puno told The STAR that he will write a rejoinder to the magazine to clarify details.

"My only concern here is this (Newsweek article) seemed to be addressing events and issues which are kind of old and which have been superseded by events and achievements of the President," Puno said.

He also noted that the article appears to be inaccurate and lacking in details.

"I think it seems to be a one-sided treatment of the subject," he said.

Puno said he has yet to show to the President his draft letter to the editors of the magazine.

Besides the PCSO fund mess, Newsweek also cited Mr. Estrada's follies that involved his former chief of staff Aprodicio Laquian, the insider-trading charges at the stock exchange, and his shouting match with former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Perfecto Yasay Jr.

This, despite exclusive interviews granted by the President.

Mr. Estrada assured the people that he will fulfill his campaign promises even though he still continues to get stinging criticisms.

"All I ask you is to give me more time because we cannot solve the country's problems in just two years," he said.