It’s business as usual for Estrada in Palace

President Estrada said yesterday "it’s business as usual" at Malacañang despite the impeachment trial against him at the Senate.

Mr. Estrada told reporters: "It is a clear signal to all our citizens and to the rest of the world that it’s business as usual in the Philippines. This is how it should be because we should not allow the deep divisions among our people brought about by recent political controversies to get in the way of our desire to improve the quality of life of the Filipino masses."

The Chief Executive signed five bills into law at Malacañang yesterday: Republic Act 8980 or the act establishing Early Childhood Care and Development Centers throughout the country; RA 8981 or the act modernizing the Professional Regulations Commission; and the conversions into cities of Bayawan town in Negros Oriental under RA 8983, Balanga town in Bataan under RA 8984, and Valencia town in Bukidnon under RA 8985.

In a speech after the signing ceremonies, Mr. Estrada said the relationship between Malacañang and Congress remains "cooperative" in nature.

"It is most auspicious that we should hold this bill-signing ceremony the day after the start of the impeachment trial now going on in the Senate," Mr. Estrada said.

The President thanked the lawmakers for "crossing partisan lines" to ensure the passage of the five laws for the welfare and benefit of the people.

"As we can see, the members of Congress who are behind these new laws represent the whole range of our political spectrum," he said. "This goes to show that despite our differences in these troubled times, we can count on our distinguished legislators to help build our nation because this is the only way all of us can fulfill our sworn duty to our people."

Mr. Estrada signed the five laws in the presence of Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella, House Majority Leader Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, Deputy Speaker for Luzon Agapito "Butz" Aquino, and Senators Teresa Aquino-Oreta and Anna Dominique Coseteng.

Oreta and Coseteng, the principal authors of two of the laws, represented Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. who did not attend the ceremony.

Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Blas Ople said yesterday the successful conclusion of the impeachment process will lay the basis for the restoration of international business confidence in the Philippine economy.

"There will be a flood of direct foreign investments," Ople predicted.

He said that ambassadors of many countries have told him that the impeachment trial as a constitutional process reflects the strength of democracy in the Philippines.

"The impeachment trial as a constitutional process reflects the strength of democracy in the Philippines," he added.

Ople quoted Ambassador Yashihita Ara of Japan as saying that this ability to conduct an impeachment trial of the President and to contain political tensions within a constitutional framework puts the Philippines in a class by itself in Southeast Asia.

He refused to comment, however, on predictions that the political tension would heighten the moment the President is exonerated.

He said those predictions were part of the "intimidation tactic" against the Senate.

"That tactic will not succeed!" he boomed.

Ople urged all camps to heed the "wise counsel" of Senate President Aquilino Pimentel to desist from undertaking activities intended to intimidate senators and give the impeachment trial every chance to succeed.

"Many were annoyed by the demonstration yesterday," Ople said, referring to the Jericho march spearheaded by former President Corazon Aquino and Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo directed against Mr. Estrada. – Marichu Villanueva, Efren Danao