‘Susan won’t allow herself to be used’

Actress Susan Roces will not allow any individual or group to use her to capitalize on the memory of her husband Fernando Poe Jr., who died while pursuing his electoral protest against President Arroyo, ousted president Joseph Estrada said yesterday.

Estrada said Roces relayed her sentiments to him when she, comedian Dolphy and his other showbiz friends visited him at his rest house in Tanay, Rizal last Tuesday.

"She (Roces) won’t allow herself to be used by anybody," Estrada told The STAR by phone.

Roces is expected to release her own statement at a press conference with Poe’s election lawyer, Sixto Brillantes, at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan at 1 p.m. today.

Estrada, who turns 68 on April 19, said he agrees with "Kumareng Susan’s" decision not to pursue her husband’s electoral protest, since the Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), had voted 15-0 to deny it.

"I agree with her decision," the former president said in Filipino. "I told her it’s really a waste of time. Nothing will come out of it because the SC ruling was unanimous."

Estrada quoted Roces as saying: "Bahala na ang tao (It’s up to the people). Let the people judge it."

Fuming, Estrada said: "There’s no chance we can get justice from the (Supreme) Court because all the justices are appointees of (Mrs.) Arroyo. So we would (have to) go to the people to get justice."

Estrada expressed his gratitude to the Sandiganbayan for allowing Roces and his other showbiz friends and supporters to join him for the inaugural of the FPJ memorial inside his vast rest house.

Aside from Roces and Dolphy, the anti-graft court also allowed actors Eddie Garcia and Richard Gomez, movie director Eddie Romero and movie producers Espiridion Laxa and Marichu Vera-Perez Maceda to visit Estrada.

Roces, assisted by Dolphy and Estrada, ceremonially cut the ribbon to formally open "El Rey," where Estrada had put on exhibit the various cowboy costumes, horse saddles and other movie props and accessories that he and Poe used in their cowboy films.

Poe was fondly known as "Da King" — or "El Rey" in Spanish — in the movie industry.

Catholic priest Fr. Larry Faraon celebrated a thanksgiving Mass at the mini-chapel constructed by Estrada at his 16-hectare rest house in Tanay.

Quoting Faraon’s homily about the friendship between him and Poe, Estrada laughingly said: "Parehong macho pero parehong tinalo ng dwende (Both machos, but both were defeated by a dwarf)."

Roces brought a big birthday cake for Estrada, while Dolphy had a roasted calf delivered.

Estrada, who is under house arrest, served his guests his favorite lechon de leche and said he would not host a lavish party at his sprawling estate for his birthday next week.

Instead, he will have a get-together with some of his former Cabinet officials and very close friends, family members and other relatives, he added.

Based on the experience of Roces, he would no longer ask permission from the Sandiganbayan and instead go straight to the Philippine National Police, Estrada said.

On the Sandiganbayan’s orders, Roces and company were only allowed to visit with Estrada from 4 to 8 p.m.

Meanwhile, Senators Luisa and Jinggoy Estrada will distribute treats to the poor at the San Juan resettlement in Taytay, Rizal, Payatas, Quezon City and Smokey Mountain in Tondo, Manila during Estrada’s birthday on April 19.