Erap found not guilty — in his VCD

His alternative medium for airing his side of the story is a tried and tested one — video compact discs distributed directly to the public.

Ousted President Joseph Estrada has kept his vow to bring his plunder trial before the bar of public opinion with the launch of his VCD chronicling the events leading up to the plunder charges filed against him by the Arroyo administration and including a predicted verdict of "not guilty" on all four counts of graft and plunder.

There were no formal ceremonies scheduled for the launch of the VCD, titled "...At Ang Katotohanan ang Magpapalaya sa Inyo" (And the Truth Shall Set You Free) — taken from the Gospel of St. John chapter eight, verse 32.

The hour-long VCD presentation chronicles the history of the Estrada plunder case, beginning with the accusations hurled by former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson that Estrada received cuts of jueteng payola money from him.

Estrada called up The STAR from his detention area at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal to announce the launch of his VCD, several copies of which he had already sent to barangays nationwide for distribution.

He said releasing the VCDs to the public was his "alternative" venue for presenting his side of the story and his evidence "directly to the Filipino people." It is through this video disc that Estrada intends to refute all the corruption charges filed against him before the Sandiganbayan and declare his innocence on all four counts outside the Sandiganbayan proceedings.

Estrada’s VCD was launched after he withdrew his entire defense team, including court-appointed lawyers, from the plunder trial pending before the three-man special division of the Sandiganbayan chaired by Presiding Justice Minita Chico-Nazario.

The Estrada plunder trial has not progressed since government lawyers presented over 70 prosecution witnesses before the graft court as defense lawyers continue to fight off a resumption of the trial.

Estrada told The STAR that he cannot be cited for contempt of court or for subjudice for the contents of the VCD — which show Estrada declared "not guilty" on charges of receiving jueteng payoffs, misuse of the tobacco excise tax, involvement in the Belle Resources Corp. stock transactions and owning the "Jose Velarde" account.

"As I’ve said before, I do not recognize this court specially created for me by the Supreme Court to convict me," he said.

Estrada originally wanted to have the VCDs played on local cable networks so he could reach a wider audience, but he conceded that the Arroyo administration might be able to stop the airing of the VCDs, "so I would just have copies of the (VCDs) distributed to all barangays."

He said the VCD was a result of the extensive legal research done by the University of the Philippines (UP) led by his former lawyer Allan Paguia and with the help of Ateneo Law School graduates.

Paguia has been suspended indefinitely by the Supreme Court from practicing law after he persistently questioned the independence of the high bench led by chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. when they installed President Arroyo into office on Jan. 21, 2001 at the height of the EDSA II uprising that ousted Estrada.

Paguia and two graduates of the UP law school authored a legal research paper titled "Legitimizing the Illegitimate" on the SC ruling that upheld the legality and constitutionality of then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s assumption of the presidency.

The VCD showed a lot of footage of the tumultuous EDSA III uprising on May 1, 2001, when thousands of Estrada supporters stormed Malacañang Palace and the violent dispersal by riot police and military troopers that ensued.

This is the second VCD released by the Estrada camp after his detention. The first VCD, titled "Ama ng Masa" (Father of the Masses), was also distributed to barangays nationwide in 2001. — Marichu Villanueva