Estrada mistresses can’t be compelled to testify, Toledo says

President Estrada’s mistresses cannot be compelled to testify in the ongoing impeachment trial against the Chief Executive.

Acting Press Secretary Mike Toledo said this yesterday as he noted that the President’s lawyers may oppose the suggestion to make former movie starlet Laarni Enriquez and Guia Gomez testify despite their willingness to do so.

Earlier, former Ambassador Ernesto Maceda, who serves as presidential spokesman for the trial, said Enriquez and Gomez were ready to show up in the Senate tribunal if only to prove that they have nothing to hide.

Enriquez left last week for Hong Kong and proceeded to New York, reportedly for a medical check-up. She departed hours before she could be served a subpoena by the impeachment court. Maceda said she would be back after two weeks to testify at the trial.

Toledo pointed out that the prosecution panel cannot grill Enriquez on the alleged irregularities in the so-called "Boracay" mansion in New Manila, Quezon City which the President reportedly bought for her using graft money. Other mistresses of Mr. Estrada were being considered to testify on the same issue.

"The defense would surely oppose this because the charges involving the mansions are not part of any of the four articles of impeachment," he said.

Meanwhile, Quezon City Rep. Mike Defensor dared Maceda to facilitate the immediate return to the country of Enriquez and other mistresses of the President to prove his claim that they are willing to testify at the trial.

Defensor said the so-called presidential mistresses now have to explain in detail their successive departures from the country since the impeachment proceedings started.

"Nagsimula lang ang impeachment nag-alisan na? What are they so afraid of? Who’s asking them to leave?" he asked.

Defensor stressed that since Maceda is acting as the President’s spokesman, he can ask the President himself to order his mistresses to return and testify.

Otherwise, he said, Maceda should come up with a "more believable propaganda line to prop up the rock-bottom ratings of the President."

He noted that Maceda’s claim on the mistresses is just like the President’s long-running pronouncement that he is willing to appear in court to personally answer the charges he is facing.

"Up to now, the President’s lawyers are using every trick in the book to prevent him from testifying. Yet, here comes Ambassador Maceda with a similar line. He’s speaking just like a mistress," he said. – Marichu Villanueva