Clutching at straws - JAYWALKER By Art A. Borjal

Malacañang spinmasters and the Defense Panel in the Impeachment Trial of President Estrada are clutching at straws, as they try their darndest best to shatter the devastating testimony of Equitable PCI Bank high-ranking executive Clarissa Ocampo. And how ridiculous and amusing is their yarn that Aprodicio Laquian, who had a brief encounter with the goings-on in Malacañang when he was the presidential chief of staff, will be the one who will, in the words of a defense counsel, "carpet bomb" Clarissa Ocampo’s bombshell before the Impeachment Court.

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On the last day of the Impeachment Trial, prosecution witness Ocampo delivered what observers said was the coup de grace that would blow to smithereens the armory of the Defense Panel. It was past 7 o’clock in the evening of December 22 when Clarissa Ocampo turned Christmas Day in Malacañang the bleakest ever in the history of the presidency. Unruffled and without hesitancy, Ocampo told the entire world that she, from her own personal knowledge, knew that Joseph Ejercito Estrada and Jose Velarde are one and the same person.

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At the time she brought to Malacañang the investment documents that President Estrada was to sign, Ocampo said that she saw in the Palace presidential classmate Fernando Chua and Laquian. She did not say that Laquian was one foot away from the President, and she did not give details as to what Laquian was doing when she was there. And the Defense Panel is now saying that Laquian is going to debunk Ocampo’s testimony?

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Note that the Malacañang spinmasters’ high hopes about Laquian destroying the credibility of Ocampo are anchored on an alleged recent telephone conversation between outgoing Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora and Laquian. According to Zamora, Laquian had told him, in that long-distance call, that he (Laquian) could not remember the alleged incident at Malacañang. Since when can the phrase, "I cannot remember", destroy the credibility of a witness like Ocampo who was fortright and truly convincing in her testimony before the Impeachment Court?

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Another ploy of the Defense Panel is to make it appear that Clarissa Ocampo is a biased witness. "She is a relative of Wigberto Tanada," shouted out a defense lawyer. Bobby Tanada has already denied being related to Ocampo. But assuming that he is, does that make Ocampo less credible?

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Take note that Ocampo has, in addition to her personal testimony, documentary evidences to show that Joseph Ejercito Estrada and Jose Velarde are one and the same person. Remember that she was just a foot away from President Estrada, at his left side, when he affixed the signature "Jose Velarde" over the typewritten name, "Jose Velarde", in the bank documents that Ocampo had brought to Malacañang. And Ocampo added, it was the signature "Jose Velarde" that Joseph Ejercito Estrada affixed, three times, in the signature card that she carried with her to Malacañang.

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And Clarissa Ocampo was not alone when she went to Malacañang. She was accompanied by another ranking bank official, lawyer Manuel Curato. And Curato, when he takes the witness stand, is going to corroborate Ocampo’s testimony, by saying that he, of his own personal knowledge, knows that Joseph Ejercito Estrada and Jose Velarde are one and the same person. Now, how can Laquian’s "I cannot remember" statement debunk such a testimony?

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The spinmasters’ tale about Laquian’s appearance at the Impeachment Court as a defense witness is, most probably, a pipe dream. It is a hope against hope, even an impossible dream. For it is highly doubtful if Laquian will ever agree to return to the Philippines and become humiliated once again.

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But if ever he returns, it will, most probably, be to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth – just like what he did when he revealed to the entire world the "Midnight Cabinet" sessions of the President and his bosom buddies. This revelation from Laquian, as everyone knows, led to his packing up his bags pronto, and rushing back home to his adopted country of Canada.

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It is inspiring to see many of our countrymen, sharing some of their blessings in life with our less fortunate fellowmen. During the past few days, many of them came forward, to lend a helping hand to the Good Samaritan Foundation. Thanks a million, and God bless the following kindhearted souls:

* A lady doctor with the initials L.D. who, on Christmas Eve, handed over to me P7,500
* Rafael Teotico of Ortigas Avenue, Greenhills, P5,000 (FEBTC 0381706)
* An anonymous donor from Greenhills, with the initials A.C., P10,000 (Citibank 0100240)
* Eduardo Reyes of Kamuning Road, Quezon City, P14,500 (Metrobank 2290002207)
* Anonymous, c/o Dr. Manuel Chua Chiaco Sr., P2,000 (Chinabank 768324)
* Anonymous donor from Quezon City, for Operations Christmas Joy, thru Dr. Manuel Chua Chiaco Sr., P2,000 (DBS Bank 9995899)
* TESDA (Ateneo Graduate School of Business) P1,900, plus two gift checks worth P400, through the initiative of Prof. Domingo Mapa, and delivered to the GS Foundation office by Nelie A. Llovido
* C.V.D. of Magsaysay District, Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, P2,000

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Here is an interesting comment from reader Tomas C. Vargas, regarding the Impeachment Trial of President Estrada:

Prosecutor Joker Arroyo, in his inimitable bluntness, said these words in the opening statement for the Prosecution: "President Estrada, except for his name, violated every word in his Oath of Office." The subsequent testimony of banker Clarissa Ocampo, however, indicated that even his name was violated when he opened a bank account with Equitable PCI under the fictitious name of Jose Velarde. What a perspicuous assessment of the issue. Kudos to Joker Arroyo.

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There is a guessing game that has been in vogue during the past several days, especially among cellphone texters. And the guessing game focuses on why "Jose Velarde" was chosen as the alias or pseudonym of President Estrada. Some speculators say that this is due to the closeness of Erap with Bro. Mike Velarde of El Shaddai. But then, there is a more interesting speculation that arose out of Erap’s student days at the Central Colleges of the Philippines, which used to be known as Polytechnic College of the Philippines, and which is owned by Babes Reyes, a classmate of President Erap. One of these days, I shall write about this humorous but interesting speculation.

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My e-mail address: [email protected]