Erap lawyer’s wish on b’day: Acquittal

The lead counsel of deposed President Joseph Estrada, former solicitor general Estelito Mendoza, said his birthday wish for his client is acquittal from plunder charges by the end of this year, at the latest.

Mendoza was among Estrada’s guests who trooped to his rest house detention in Tanay, Rizal yesterday to celebrate his 68th birthday.

President Arroyo, for her part, wished her disgraced predecessor "good health and peace of mind."

"And I can assure him justice and fair play," she told reporters. "He should be given the most humane treatment... in deference to the many people who care for him."

Mendoza arrived with his wife in Tanay at noontime and was buttonholed by members of the press, many of whom had been waiting since 6 a.m. at the front gates of the rest house manned by police guards.

Estrada has been undergoing trial for plunder since April 2001 when he was first detained at his Polk St. residence in Greenhills, San Juan a few days after celebrating his 64th birthday.

Meanwhile, contrary to persistent claims by government prosecutors that the defense panel is deliberately delaying the plunder trial, Mendoza said they would like to finish the trial as soon as possible.

"In fact, if we could have our way, we want to wrap this up by December this year," Mendoza said.

Estrada’s chief legal counsel, however, claimed that either an acquittal or a conviction of the former president would be "politically disastrous" for the Arroyo administration.

The Sandiganbayan, upon the concurrence of government prosecutors and the Philippine National Police (PNP), raised no objections to the request by the defense panel to allow the former president to entertain guests at his sprawling 16-hectare rest house from 8 a.m. up to 8 p.m.

The anti-graft court, in a two-page resolution issued on the eve of Estrada’s birthday, limited the movement of guests to three areas of his property — the rest house itself, the pavilion and the chapel.

Although donned in full battle gear, police guards were noticeably lenient and accommodating to guests, merely noting the names of people who came to greet the birthday celebrant.

Loyal supporters and fans of Estrada were among the early birds who trooped to his Tanay estate, many arriving in jeepneys and on tricycles.

But instead of receiving birthday presents, Estrada, assisted by his wife, former first lady and now Sen. Loi Ejercito, distributed bags of goodies at the gates.

The former president, dressed in red T-shirt and blue jeans, was visibly happy to receive so many well-wishers.

Former senator and ambassador Ernesto Maceda, who also came to greet Estrada, shared Mendoza’s views on the plunder trial.

Maceda told The STAR he gave Estrada a book entitled "Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew" as a gift. In the book, the former prime minister of Singapore criticized the second EDSA uprising as a "mob rule" style of changing governments in the Philippines.

Maceda said his birthday wish for Estrada is that he be granted bail soon "because he has proven by his return from Hong Kong that he is no flight risk."

Maceda was referring to Estrada’s trip to Hong Kong last December to undergo knee surgery and his quick return to the country two weeks after completing physical therapy.

When Maceda pointed out that Estrada no longer walked with a limp, the former president quipped "I’m now bionic," referring to his titanium replacement kneecaps.

Friends and supporters of Estrada such as opposition Sen. Jamby Madrigal brought his favorite foods, including lechon, paella, lengua and callos.

Others who attended Estrada’s birthday party were Sen. Alfredo Lim, Caloocan City Rep. Luis "Baby" Asistio, Rep. Rolex Suplico, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos, Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco, former Presidential Security Group (PSG) commander and now retired Gen. Rodulfo Diaz, former presidential adviser on taxation Fortunato Aguas, former Presidential Anti-Crime Commission commander Roberto Calinisan and his former classmates from Ateneo High School.

However, Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson, who publicly expressed his willingness to attend Estrada’s birthday bash in the spirit of reconciliation, did not show up in Tanay yesterday.

Estrada’s son, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, earlier challenged Singson, Estrada’s former drinking buddy and a principal witness against him in the plunder trial, to visit Tanay to personally greet Estrada and prove his sincerity.

Meanwhile, San Juan Mayor J.V. Ejercito, another son of Estrada, raised a billboard in front of the San Juan Municipal Hall greeting the former president on his birthday and referring to him as the "Ama ng Masa (Father of the Masses)."

Estrada’s former Cabinet members — finance secretary Jose Pardo, energy secretary Mario Tiaoqui, health secretary Alfredo Romualdez, labor secretary Bienvendio Laguesma, press secretary Rodolfo Reyes, presidential spokesman Jerry Barican, Presidential Management Staff head Leonora de Jesus and husband Ramon Abad, former senator Tessie Aquino-Oreta and husband Len, former Quezon City mayor Ishmael Mathay and wife Vilma — all joined him in a Mass officiated by Fr. Larry Faraon at the family chapel.