Erap will be home for Christmas

Ousted President Joseph Estrada was granted permission by the Sandiganbayan yesterday to spend Christmas and New Year’s Day with his 100-year-old mother at her house in North Greenhills Subdivision in San Juan.

Presiding Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro said Estrada was given the furlough for humanitarian reasons and in the spirit of Christmas, and that the government had not raised any objection.

However, the special division said Estrada should only stay at his mother’s residence on Kennedy Street or at the hospital where she may be confined.

Estrada was barred from staying at his own residence on Polk Street.

"The accused President is not allowed to proceed to any place other than those authorized in this order and the Philippine National Police should see to it that the usual safety and security measures are followed and the usual restrictions are observed," read the court order.

Under the court order, Estrada will be transported from his place of detention in his sprawling villa in Tanay, Rizal at 5 p.m. on Dec. 24 to his mother’s residence.

He will stay there until 5 p.m. of Christmas Day when he will be returned under police escort to his Tanay house.

On Dec. 31 at 5 p.m., Estrada will also leave Tanay for his mother’s house in Greenhills and spend New Year’s Eve with her.

He will stay there until 5 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2006, when he will again be escorted back to his rest house.

Estrada is detained at his Tanay estate undergoing trial for plunder before the Sandiganbayan special division.

Sandiganbayan Sheriff Edgardo Urieta said Estrada’s stay at his mother’s house would be subject to the PNP’s security rules.

Estrada is allowed to meet with his family and receive guests at his mother’s house, and video footage of him can be taken, he added.

However, the PNP will strictly enforce the "no interview" rule, Urieta said.

Meanwhile, the special division is taking a long holiday break from hearing Estrada’s cases.

The last hearing for this year was held last Wednesday.

The scheduled Monday and Wednesday trials will resume on Jan. 9. — Mike Frialde