House leaders call on Sandigan to allow Estrada’s US trip

House leaders joined congressmen yesterday in urging the Sandiganbayan to allow ousted President Joseph Estrada to seek medical treatment abroad.

They signed a resolution principally authored by Rep. Didagen Dilangalen (NPC, Maguindanao), a staunch Estrada ally.

The latest signatories are Deputy Speakers Raul Gonzalez (for Visayas), Gerry Salapuddin (for Mindanao) and Emilio Espinosa (for Luzon).

Gonzalez was a member of the House panel that prosecuted Estrada in the Senate impeachment trial that was aborted in January 2001.

The latest signatories brought to 136 the number of House members who have signed the Dilangalen resolution.

Some of those who have affixed their signatures have approached Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., but he has refused to sign the measure.

Among the initial batch of signatories was Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II.

On Monday, party-list Representatives Etta Rosales of Akbayan and Joel Villanueva of the Citizens Battle Against Corruption urged their colleagues not to meddle with the Sandiganbayan.

Meanwhile, members of the Council of Philippine Affairs (COPA) challenged yesterday the 19 senators and 136 congressmen who have endorsed the resolution to resign if Estrada escapes while in the US.

Pastor Saycon, COPA spokesman, said yesterday at the Westin Philippine Plaza forum they will raise this matter in today’s scheduled protest march at the Senate to denounce what they called the Estrada petition’s "undue pressure" on the Sandiganbayan.

"If they are really serious with their resolution, they should resign if Estrada escapes," he said.

Saycon said he was dismayed at the decision of the 19 senators and 136 congressmen to support the petition of Estrada to be allowed to undergo medical treatment abroad.

"The one that should be blamed here are the lawyers of Estrada," he said. "Because had they not been engaging in delaying tactics, Estrada could not go abroad."

Through his lawyers, Estrada has asked the Sandiganbayan for permission to travel to the US for knee surgery.

Estrada’s family doctor, Dr. Lorenzo Jhocson has said that total replacement surgery is the only "feasible" option in treating his worsening osteoarthritis of the knees, which a checkup done three weeks ago has shown to be in its end-stages despite undergoing exhaustive medical treatment here.

Orthopedic expert Dr. Christopher Mow has also expressed fears that delaying the knee surgery could leave the patient with deformed legs, or worse, a cripple for life. The doctor said that immediate knee surgery is required and that it can only be done in the US where there are top-of-the-line prosthetic equipment and facilities that are not available in the Philippines. – With Jose Aravilla