Government: Estrada can’t leave

The travel ban on ousted President Joseph Estrada stays.

This was the stern response of Justice Secretary Hernando Perez to suggestions that the former leader be allowed to seek medical treatment in the United States.

"No. I’m not going to allow him (Estrada) to go to the US," Perez said in a telephone interview.

Last Friday, one of Estrada’s sons said the former president may ask the Arroyo administration for permission to travel to Boston, Massachusetts next month for a long-scheduled surgery on his glaucoma.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) imposed last month a travel ban on Estrada and 23 other people, including his wife Luisa Ejercito and son Jinggoy, amid corruption charges filed against them.

"We have so many competent doctors here who can attend to his eye problems," Perez pointed out.

He said the former president’s camp may have resorted to the ploy after realizing the possibility of Estrada’s imminent detention, especially now that plunder charges are set to be filed with the Sandiganbayan. Private prosecutors allege that Estrada amassed P10 billion to P15 billion stashed in secret bank accounts under fictitious names.

"He is just making an excuse to leave the country. But his reason is too shallow," the DOJ chief said.

Presidential Spokesman Renato Corona also said yesterday the government should veto plans by Estrada to seek medical treatment abroad, citing the risk that the ex-leader could flee.

"Perhaps we should not allow him to leave because of the possibility that he could flee to escape prosecution," Corona said. "In my personal opinion, glaucoma can be treated here."

However, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel urged the government to allow Estrada to go abroad "for humanitarian reasons."

In a meeting in Zamboanga City with local candidates of his PDP-Laban party, Pimentel noted that even former First Lady Imelda Marcos had been allowed to leave the country during the investigation of her family’s alleged ill-gotten wealth.

"He (Estrada) should be allowed to leave. If Imelda has been allowed to get out of the country every now and then, why shouldn’t they allow him to go abroad and get medical treatment?" the senator said.

He pointed out that the government can make arrangements that would put pressure on the former leader "so he won’t escape."

Meanwhile, a private prosecutor handling the criminal charges against Estrada said he expects the issuance of a warrant for the arrest of the deposed leader in three weeks.

"That is the assurance we got from a series of meetings with the Ombudsman and the justice secretary," said lawyer Romeo Capulong, who represents 80 complainants in the economic plunder and forfeiture cases against Estrada.

At the same time, Capulong warned the Arroyo administration against allowing Estrada to leave the country, which he said was simply a ploy for the respondent to escape.

"The deposed President and his lawyers know the evidence of guilt is strong," he said.

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 Presidential 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.

The respondents are facing charges of plunder, malversation, bribery, graft, perjury, and unexplained wealth, which have been consolidated by the Office of the Ombudsman. – With Marichu Villanueva, Roel Pareño, Romel Bagares