JPE denies involvement in assassination plots

Re-electionist Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile denied involvement yesterday in reported plots to assassinate President Arroyo and former President Joseph Estrada and install a civilian-military junta.

Enrile, in a press statement, said "the circulating rumors on the possible Arroyo and Estrada assassinations are desperate attempts to fracture the unity of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Puwersa ng Masa coalition."

"The rumor was particularly concocted to alienate me from former President Estrada as well as the rest of the LDP-PnM senatorial ticket," he said, but added that he had already clarified the matter with his ticket mates, including former First Lady Luisa Ejercito.

The consensus of the opposition candidates was to dismiss the rumor and remain focused on the remaining days of the senatorial and local campaigns to ensure victory for the LDP-PnM coalition, Enrile noted.

The senator dismissed notions the reports would adversely affect his re-election bid and said he is confident that voters will "just laugh the rumor off because it is simply ludicrous."

Enrile said he has so much faith in the intelligence and maturity of the people to be bothered by the rumor’s effects on his senatorial bid.

Authorities arrested Enrile on Tuesday, only hours after President Arroyo declared a "state of rebellion" after Estrada loyalists stormed the gates of Malacañang.

He was later charged with rebellion, a non-bailable offense, but he challenged the legality of his warrantless arrest.

Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said Enrile was among the 11 opposition leaders who allegedly orchestrated Tuesday’s unrest.

Few people were surprised when Enrile was implicated in the supposed plot because he had been linked to two other rebellions, one of them successful.

The first and successful attempt was in 1986 when he, as defense minister of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, and reformists in the military establishment plotted to overthrow the repressive Marcos administration.

However, the plot was uncovered, forcing Enrile to make a last stand at Camp Aguinaldo from where he appealed for support from top generals, including then national police chief Gen. Fidel Ramos, and the Catholic Church.

The support generated by the Church and the opposition resulted in the "people power" revolution that installed former President Corazon Aquino to power and drove Marcos into exile in Hawaii.

Enrile was again implicated in late 1986 in a plot to overthrow Aquino, which was dubbed "God Save The Queen."

But the government accused Enrile of "rebellion complex" – a crime that was not in the statute books. The charge was dismissed by the court.

But Enrile’s detractors, most of them human rights victims of the Marcos regime, insist that Enrile’s repeated attempts to overthrow a duly-constituted government was based on his "dream of becoming president."

"You see, despite his age, Mr. Enrile hasn’t changed at all. He still harbors his dream of becoming president even if that would mean sacrificing the lives of innocent civilians," said former political detainee Satur Ocampo. – Romel Bagares