Erap’s cry: Put me back in power

Ousted President Joseph Estrada called yesterday on the military and police officials who supported moves for his removal from office exactly five years ago today to put him back at Malacañang, citing the failure of President Arroyo to deliver on her promises to the people.

Without mentioning specific names, Estrada delivered his challenge to retired and active officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) who withdrew their support for him and backed moves that led to his ouster during the EDSA II people power revolt on Jan. 20, 2001.

In an exclusive interview with The STAR, Estrada vividly recalled his parting words to one of the generals who had been assigned to pick him up at the Palace on that day when a majority of the police and military top brass openly switched their loyalty to then vice president Gloria Arroyo.

"General, if this (Arroyo) administration fails, will you put me back in office?" Estrada said, recalling an exchange with one of the generals, who gave him a snappy reply: "Yes, Sir!"

"It’s now five years that this administration has been a failure, but I have yet to be brought back into office," Estrada wryly noted.

Instead, the deposed leader still faces plunder charges before the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court for allegedly amassing nearly P4 billion in ill-gotten wealth, mostly from illegal gambling operators.

Estrada made the statement amid reports of another power grab attempt against Mrs. Arroyo following the escape of four junior Oakwood mutineers from detention at Fort Bonifacio last Tuesday.

Estrada, who has been on trial for the past five years, insisted that his ouster from office was nothing but a naked power grab initiated by Mrs. Arroyo and her cohorts from the police and military.

Estrada recalled that his ouster from office was sealed when Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado, along with then AFP chief Gen. Angelo Reyes, appeared before the protesters massing at the EDSA Shrine.

"I was removed from office forcibly with no basis whatsoever in the Constitution," Estrada said.

"What saddens me even more is that the 2001 coup d’état made life extremely difficult for the Filipino masses," Estrada rued.

The former president denounced the "injustices" that the Filipino people — including himself — have endured under the Arroyo administration for the past five years.

"I was isolated from those I love and from the Filipino masses simply to prevent me from speaking out against the injustices and lack of conscience of those now in power," Estrada said.

The ousted leader criticized in particular the failure of government lawyers to prove their accusations of plunder and other graft charges filed against him even after more than 70 witnesses and voluminous documents had been presented during the five-year-old trial.

Prosecutors of Estrada, on the other hand, claim the defense has been delaying the trial with endless and irrelevant witnesses.

"Changes are needed now," Estrada declared. "Our country cannot afford any more delays."

He particularly appealed to Filipinos to unite behind the movement for meaningful reforms in government, citing the efforts of former Nueva Ecija governor Edno Joson for restoration of the rule of law.

Five years ago, thousands of rallyists calling for Estrada’s resignation gathered at the historical site of the first EDSA revolt that overthrew the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.

The protesters then marched to Malacañang to force Estrada out of office.

The public protest stemmed from the refusal of the Senate, acting as an impeachment court, to open a sealed envelope said to contain incriminating evidence of corruption against Estrada.

The prosecution panel walked out on the impeachment trial in protest of the vote that soon triggered massive public protest from people clamoring for Estrada’s resignation.

The protests grew stronger over several days before the AFP, seeing the upheaval was tearing the country apart, decided to withdraw its support from Estrada and transfer allegiance to Mrs. Arroyo.

Without military support, and with mass resignations among his own Cabinet, Estrada’s government quickly fell.

On Jan. 20, 2001, the Supreme Court declared Mrs. Arroyo as the constitutional successor to Estrada and his family was quickly evacuated from Malacañang.

The AFP top brass, then headed by Reyes who is now interior secretary, led a delegation to fetch Estrada from the Palace on that day.