Palace won’t buy Erap defense

Malacañang officials said yesterday they doubted the claim of deposed President Joseph Estrada that his donation of some P8 million to P10 million to elite military units and the so-called Magdalo mutineers was merely a "Christmas gift" and was not used to finance the latest coup attempt.

Presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor said Estrada admitted in a conversation three weeks ago that he gave money to the Marines and the Philippine Army’s Scout Ranger Regiment but stressed he took Estrada’s statements at face value.

Defensor asked Estrada about reports that he had donated the money.

"I don’t think I’m in the position to answer such questions" about whether Estrada was telling the truth or not, he said on ANC television. "The former President told me that in confidence and he is a good friend so we take his word for it."

Estrada said Marine and Scout Ranger officers as well as families of the Magdalo group had solicited money from him last year for "Christmas gifts."

He said he instructed them to write a letter formalizing their request so that his Saludo sa Kawal Foundation (Salute to the Soldier Foundation) could release the money.

But Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez and Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz said evidence was being gathered to support intelligence reports that Estrada was among the financiers of efforts to undermine the government, including last Friday’s coup attempt.

Cruz said there must be "solid evidence," not just intelligence reports, against suspected financiers so that proper complaints could be filed in court.

"I have very serious reservations (about) that the statement of Mr. Estrada," Gonzalez said. "Now he’s claiming that the money was for Christmas gifts and that’s his defense."

Asked whether Estrada was liable as a financier and destabilizer, he said, "We are really looking at that."

Cruz said whether actions would be taken against Estrada would depend only on evidence.

Asked whether the government considers Estrada as a national security threat, he said: "If there is evidence against anybody, especially if the evidence points to activities that constitute a threat to national security, then cases should be filed in court."

But Estrada dismissed the accusation and challenged Gonzalez to investigate him.

"I have nothing to hide. Everything is transparent. I’m willing to face any investigation before the Department of Justice or any probe body," he told The STAR in a telephone interview.

He said the foundation was formed during his aborted presidency to provide scholarships for families of soldiers killed or wounded in action.

"If I would finance a coup, it should not be coming from a foundation and I would not have required them to write (and formalize their request) and they be given receipts," he said. Spokesmen for the Scout Ranger Regiment and the Marines admitted receiving close to P10 million from Estrada but denied the money had been used in last week’s reported coup attempt.

Capt. Clifford Cordova, manager of the Scout Ranger Cooperative, said they received P4 million on Dec. 4, 2005, and P1.8 million the previous year.

Marine spokesman Maj. Melquiades Odiales said the Philippine Marine Corps Cooperative received P3 million but the money was used for loans. "No, the money was not used for destabilization," he said.

"This has nothing to do with a coup," Cordova said.

Asked for comment, military spokesman Col. Tristan Kison said he was not aware of the military’s policy on accepting donations.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno has ordered Chief Superintendent Jesus Versoza, chief of the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, to investigate.

Puno said the foundation’s president and Estrada son-in-law, Manuel "Beaver" Lopez, met with him yesterday and vowed full cooperation.

"We are happy and grateful that Mr. Beaver Lopez has volunteered to make himself available and provide all the necessary documents that would aid the CIDG in the conduct of its investigation," Puno said.

Puno visited Estrada at San Juan Medical Center in San Juan yesterday where the ousted leader is recuperating from eye surgery.

"The former president was candid about everything," he said. "And I was also candid enough to inform him that there are now some questions being raised about the foundation."

Puno added the foundation has "apparently been engaged in financial assistance to different units and personnel since the year 2000. This has been given some prominence and attention with the timing of some of the donations to the military units."

He allowed that assistance to soldiers’ dependents was of great service.

"We think all of us should be concerned about our armed forces of the Philippines’ personnel about their welfare and the PNP," Puno said. "What we just want to make sure here is that such donations were not misdirected into activities they were not intended for." — With Marichu Villanueva, Mike Frialde, Cecille Suerte Felipe