Estrada testifies in Senate probe

It’s all systems go for the appearance of former President Joseph Estrada at the Senate on Tuesday, Sen. John Osmena said yesterday.

Osmena, chairman of the Senate committee on government corporations and public enterprises, said there is now no snag for Estrada’s testimony Tuesday on the alleged $14-million bribe offer for the approval of the government contract with the Argentine power firm Industrias Metalurgicas Pescarmona Sociedad Anonima (IMPSA).

This came following the assurance by Philippine National Police chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane that the PNP would be delivering Estrada to the Senate Tuesday morning.

Osmena said that for a moment, he was concerned that the hearing would not push through because of "meddling" by Estrada’s lawyers.

He had expressed fears that the petition of the lawyers for the anti-graft court to allow Estrada to attend the Senate hearing could prevent Estrada’s appearance on technicality.

The acting presiding justice of Sandiganbayan, Justice Minerva Chico Nazario, said it need not rule on Estrada’s appearance in the Senate, which is a co-equal body. The court ruled that the Senate has the power to bring the former President under its jurisdiction and that all it has to do is direct the PNP to bring him to the chamber.

Osmena said that following the Sandiganbayan ruling, it would be "utterly inexcusable" for the PNP to refuse to bring Estrada before the Senate.

Last Dec. 17, the PNP did not bring Estrada to the Senate, claiming it has not received any order from the Sandiganbayan to do so.

"With the assurance of General Ebdane, there should no longer be any problem for Erap’s testimony on the IMPSA contract," Osmena said.

The contract, totaling about $470 million, called for the rehabilitation of the Caliraya-Botokan-Kalayaan power plants owned by the National Power Corp.

Meanwhile, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. cautioned Malacanang and the PNP yesterday against making a "last-minute attempt" to prevent Estrada’s testimony,

"The full cooperation of Malacanang and PNP in the Senate inquiry is a litmus test of President Arroyo’s commitment for a no-nonsense campaign against graft and corruption," Pimentel said.

The opposition lawmaker said the nation is entitled to know the truth behind Estrada’s allegation that Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez, allegedly acting in behalf of IMPSA, offered a $14-million bribe in exchange for the approval of its contract with the government. – Efren Danao