Erap vows to fulfill covenant with people

Pledging to "fulfill a sacred covenant" with his supporters, former President Joseph Estrada vowed to unite the opposition against President Arroyo upon returning yesterday from Hong Kong where he underwent knee surgery.

Estrada accused the Arroyo administration of massive corruption and failing to improve the lives of Filipinos since his 2001 ouster by a popular uprising, which he insisted was illegal.

"I have returned as promised to fulfill a sacred covenant with our people. I have returned to the country and the Filipino people whom I love, stronger and more determined than ever to restore the hope that has been lost; to fight for a better future; uphold the Constitution and the rule of law," he said in a statement.

Malacañang welcomed Estrada’s return. "We are glad that the former president fulfilled his promise to return to face the charges against him," Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said.

Estrada’s arch-nemesis, Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson, said Estrada would "subject himself to shame in the eyes of the Flipino people" if he did not return to resume trial.

Singson, whose massive corruption allegations against Estrada triggered his downfall, remained onvinced that "if we did not object to his plans of leaving the country, I am very sure that by now he could have been in China and continuously living with lavish lifestyle."

"Though he’s back it doesn’t mean he did not plan to escape," Estrada’s estranged drinking buddy said in a statement. "Now that he’s back, I hope that he will cooperate in his plunder case. Then if he’s not guilty, set him free."

Singson earlier criticized the Arroyo administration for allowing Estrada to go to Hong Kong, warning that he might abscond.

Estrada returned to Manila, following the orders of the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court that allowed him go to Hong Kong for knee replacement surgery.

Doctors here have warned that Estrada, 67, suffers from multiple slipped discs pressing against his spinal cord, and that his back ailment could deteriorate if his knee condition does not improve.

Estrada’s American doctor, Christopher Mow, said the Dec. 31 operation at Hong Kong Adventist Hospital was successful, but he appealed to the Sandiganbayan to let to let Estrada stay in Hong Kong for another week to recuperate.

However, Estrada told his lawyer to withdraw the extension request to dispel speculation he was trying to evade trial, and also in an effort to unite the opposition against the Arroyo administration.

He vowed to "heal the social divisiveness in our country, to unite the Filipino people, and set the path for them to see a new dawn."

His "unconstitutional removal from the presidency in January 2001, as history shows, had clearly opened a Pandora’s box: one that contained social divisiveness as the gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen; hope has been lost, being transformed into disillusionment on promises made, but not kept by the de facto administration."

"The times today are indeed dangerous to be right, because the government today is so very wrong," he said.

"My countrymen, although times make it dangerous to fight for what is right, I have been given by God a new strength, a new determination toward a new dawn, under a true regime of justice, freedom and democracy, guided by the Constitution and total respect for the rule of law," Estrada said.

Filipinos have turned to "anger and despair over the unrestrained corruption in all branches and levels of government which has produced an administration largely without public support…," he said.

About 200 of the former movie star’s supporters lined a street near the airport, carrying his picture and holding up a banner reading, "Welcome home, Mr. President."

Supporters tied ribbons — orange, the color associated with Estrada — on trees along several major Manila roads and outside his rest house in Tanay, Rizal. A brass band played to welcome him home.

Police threw a tight security net around Estrada after an official of his Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) warned that a "third force" allegedly planned to harm the former president and then blame Arroyo’s government and the police.

Estrada’s Philippine Airlines flight touched down at around 1:48 p.m.

Police bustled Estrada from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to adjacent Villamor Air Force base, from which a private helicopter took him to the rest house in Tanay where he had been held without bail.

One of Estrada’s sons, Sen. Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, had a heated exchange over the phone the night before Estrada’s arrival with the chief of the Philippine National Police, Director General Edgar Aglipay, who refused to allow family members to accompany Estrada to his resthouse.

Aglipay personally welcomed Estrada at the airport and had two truckloads of anti-riot police officers standing by in case of trouble.

"Additional policemen will be deployed in Tanay to ensure the former president’s safety," he told reporters later. "I apologize to those who were inconvenienced by the tight security. We were only doing our job to protect former President Estrada." — With Jaime Laude, Marichu Villanueva, Delon Porcalla