Estrada needs surgery in US

Ousted President Joseph Estrada needs to go to the United States for a long-scheduled surgery on his glaucoma, his son Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito said yesterday.

Estrada may ask the Arroyo administration for permission to travel to Boston, Massachusetts next month despite an order barring him and his family from leaving the Philippines.

"He is still scheduled to go, but he has no plans about what to do," Ejercito said.

He reiterated that his father does not want to live outside the Philippines.

"I was born here. I live here. I will die here," Estrada had said shortly after his ouster on Jan. 20.

Last month the Department of Justice imposed a travel ban on Estrada and 23 other people, including his wife Luisa Ejercito, amid corruption charges filed against the deposed leader.

Private prosecutors alleged that Estrada amassed P10 billion to P15 billion stashed in secret bank accounts under fictitious names.

In a petition filed with the Supreme Court, Estrada insisted he is still the duly elected president, and that Mrs. Arroyo is merely serving in an acting capacity.

He argued he retained presidential immunity from suits, and asked the High Tribunal to stop criminal investigations against him.

Estrada also maintained that he did no wrong, and that his only sin was having a number of mistresses.

Ombudsman Aniano Desierto stressed that Estrada and his family were barred from leaving the country.

Rumors swirled that the fallen leader was planning to leave for the United States for eye treatment.

Immigration officials at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were put on alert amid rumors that Estrada and his family were trying to slip out to either Los Angeles, California or Australia.

Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo directed immigration officers at the NAIA and other ports to be on the lookout for the Estrada couple and 22 others covered by the hold-departure order.

Domingo said they have received information that the deposed president and his associates were planning to sneak out of the country before the Ombudsman could officially charge them in court.

Domingo also said the Sandiganbayan might order the arrest of Estrada and his associates to ensure the respondents’ appearance in court during the trial.

Those covered by the hold departure order, apart from Estrada and his wife, were former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, former Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora, former Presdential Legislative Liaison Office head Secretary Jose Jaime Policarpio, San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada, lawyer Eduardo Serapio, Raul de Guzman, banker Manuel Zamora, Charlie "Atong" Ang, Danilo Reyes, Mila Reforma and Yolanda Ricaforte;

Ilocos Sur Vice Gov. Victor Savellano, provincial accountant Carolyn Pilar, provincial treasurer Antonio Gundran, general services officer Ernie Mendoza II and provincial employees Leonora Tadera, Estrella Mercurio, Dionisia Pizarro, Cornelia Almaza, Erlita Arne, Maricar Paz and Marina Atendido.

Estrada himself has rejected suggestions for him to go into exile.

Estrada has until Monday to answer criminal charges of amassing illegal wealth.

Estrada reluctantly stepped down on Jan. 20, ending a four-day popular uprising sparked by the sudden halt of an impeachment trial against him.

Estrada said he could not make up his mind on whether to return to Malacañang in the unlikely event that the Supreme Court declared him the lawful president.

But considering the troubles of moving again, he said he might just stay put in his home on Polk Street in Greenhills, San Juan.

Meanwhile, the radical Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) warned the Arroyo government against allowing Estrada to leave the country, saying it is a "shameless attempt" to evade criminal prosecution.

Bayan chairman Rafael Mariano said the government must be firm in keeping Estrada in the country so he could face charges of plunder.

"If Estrada manages to slip out of the country by any pretext, the Arroyo government would be courting nationwide protests by the Filipino people who want Estrada to pay for his crimes. We want no compromise on this issue," Mariano said in a statement.

Bayan led 81 other organizations in filing eight cases of plunder, and a petition for the forfeiture of an estimated P10 billion to P15 billion in illegally acquired wealth.

Bayan also admonished Desierto against "lumping together all the eight anti-Estrada cases" and for using the weaker cases to delay the filing of criminal complaints against the deposed leader.

"He cannot make sweeping generalizations of the eight plunder cases. What he should do is to treat them separately, study them and file appropriate charges against Estrada based on the evidence presented," Mariano said.

He claimed they have a strong case against Estrada since all the pieces of evidence gathered by the prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Estrada were submitted as part of their complaint.

Desierto noted, however, that the forfeiture case filed by the private complainants has many loose ends and may not stand in court.

"There are many things that have to be looked into first. That is the reason why we have referred it to the fact-finding bureau," he said.

Government prosecutors have ordered nine banks to surrender records of deposits held by Estrada.

The banks were identified as Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., Security Bank and Trust Co., Allied Banking Corp., Bank of Commerce, United Coconut Planters Bank, Asia United Bank, International Exchange Bank and Urban Bank.

Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said they are also looking into other assets of Estrada not included in the list submitted by the complainants.

These assets included the mansions in New Manila in Quezon City, Tagaytay Highlands, Wack Wack subdivision in Mandaluyong City, Forbes Park in Makati City, and Marina Bay in Parañaque City.