61 percent of Pinoys favor house arrest for Erap — survey

A Malacañang-commissioned survey showed that a majority of Filipinos support the "resthouse arrest" ordered by the Sandiganbayan for deposed President Joseph Estrada as he undergoes trial for plunder.

The survey was conducted by the Harris & Black Associates (HB & A) Research International from July 10 to 12 in Metro Manila, right after the Sandiganbayan handed down its ruling.

Of the 300 respondents in the survey, only 27 percent said they "disagreed" with the ruling while 61 percent said they are in favor of placing the former president under custodial guards at his resthouse in Tanay, Rizal.

Estrada was immediately transferred from his detention center at Camp Capinpin to his Tanay resthouse.

HB & A managing director Anthony Abaya released the survey results to The STAR yesterday. It is only one of the surveys concerning national issues that the firm regularly furnishes the Palace for the President’s information.

Asked in Filipino if they agree or disagree to the house arrest for Estrada, only 12 percent of the respondents said they "can’t say" or they neither agree or disagree with the ruling.

Of the 182 respondents who agreed to the house arrest for Estrada, 80 percent said the accused former president "has not been proven guilty so he should be given better treatment than guilty prisoners,"

Seventy-eight percent said the house arrest would "do away with the expenses of keeping Erap (Estrada’s nickname) prisoner," and 64 percent said that "as a former president, Erap should be given special treatment."

About 62 percent also said "we must unite as a country and by treating Erap well, President Gloria will again gain sympathy and support of the Erap followers."

On the other hand, of those who "disagreed" with the Sandiganbayan ruling, 88 percent stressed that "no prisoner — not even Erap — should be given special treatment in jail," 74 percent said "Erap committed a crime, so he should be made to undergo the rightful penance," and 28 percent said that due to the gravity of the offense, he "should be treated worse than the common criminal."

The trial of Estrada for plunder and perjury has been put on hold following the appointment of Sandiganbayan presiding justice Minita Chico-Nazario to the Supreme Court.