VACC files plunder raps versus Estrada

An anti-crime watchdog group accused President Estrada yesterday of committing plunder, an offense punishable by death.

However, analysts said the case filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) with the Office of the Ombudsman could be thrown out since the President is immune from suits.

"The chances of this case are nil," said a source at the Ombudsman. "The President cannot be sued while in office. The reason is that he has to attend 101 percent to the affairs of state. Otherwise, he will be swamped with suits from… disgruntled parties."

Still, officials and members of the VACC, along with Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Cha-vit" Singson and his lawyers, pushed through with the filing of the complaint.

The VACC did not explain why Mr. Estrada should be indicted. But it used newspaper clippings as a basis for the complaint and attached the Sept. 25 sworn affidavit of Singson in accusing the Chief Executive of corruption.

Among the criminal charges enumerated in their five-page complaint were plunder and violation of the Anti-Graft Law for having asked and received from Singson P130 million of Ilocos Sur’s share of tobacco excise taxes.

The group also accused the Chief Executive of perjury for failing to declare his real assets.

VACC said the five mansions of Mr. Estrada’s mistresses should be forfeited in favor of government.

An administrative case was also filed by the group against the President for violating the Code of Conduct for Government Officials and Employees. They said Mr. Estrada failed to "observe simple living."

Overall Deputy Ombudsman Margarito Gervacio assured the group that the Ombudsman will act on their complaint expeditiously. He added though that graft probers will still have to "determine" its validity.

The Ombudsman normally would investigate whether there is sufficient evidence to press charges. But under the law, a sitting President has immunity from legal suits, and officials in the Ombudsman’s office said it was unlikely the case would be pursued.

Meanwhile, a UP professor said the Estrada administration’s credibility has gone down.

Dr. Reynaldo Guiguio said "this administration has not attained the same level of credibility that the opposition has earned."

For instance, he said there were attempts to discredit the credibility of Singson.

"But … as the Senate hearings dragged on, Singson’s credibility has, in fact, risen," he told a forum.

In Angeles City, 18 groups claiming to represent the poor launched a movement calling for Mr. Estrada’s ouster.

The Central Luzon- All Rural Initiatives for the Ouster of Estrada Now (CL-Arise Now) accused Mr. Estrada of being an anti-farmer for his alleged cancellation of land titles to peasants.

It said Mr. Estrada’s apathy to the farmers can be seen in the awarding of some 16,000 hectares of land within Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija to a certain Florencia Garcia-Diaz. The woman is reportedly a relative of a prominent politician close to Mr. Estrada.

In Manila, the urban poor as well as human rights advocates and church groups have formed a so-called "people’s tribunal" to try Mr. Estrada for his alleged wrongdoings.

"When the impeachment proceedings start in December, this tribunal will convene to hear the complaints of the people … and bring to the attention of the Senate … these charges," they said in a statement. — With Jerry Botial, Ding Cervantes