EDITORIAL - Unfinished business

Joseph Estrada refuses to go into exile and is insisting on one thing: The resumption of his impeachment trial so he can present his side. Public trust in the proceedings that riveted the nation for a month, however, ended when 11 senators virtually shackled Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. and refused to allow the presentation of a vital piece of evidence. A resumption of the trial at this time would be an exercise in futility. Also, in two weeks most lawmakers will be busy with the campaign season, and the Senate will have fewer members, with at least one of them joining the Cabinet and another expected to be named vice president.

And so the impeachment court was formally disbanded last Wednesday. A new leader is ensconced at Malacañang, trying to undo the damage wreaked in the past two and a half years. Even as we watch the Arroyo administration taking shape, however, many people are wondering what will happen to the charges brought against Joseph Estrada in his impeachment trial. He may yet opt for exile. But what about the other people who have been implicated in his scandals?

What happens now to Charlie "Atong" Ang and Yolanda Ricaforte, both of whom have left the country? What about Estrada’s friend Jaime Dichaves, who claimed he owned the "Jose Velarde" accounts? The Office of the Ombudsman has started Estrada’s criminal prosecution on charges similar to those in the impeachment. Despite misgivings about the Ombudsman, the public awaits the outcome of this investigation. The Department of Justice is also evaluating new testimony against the disgraced former president.

What about the defense lawyers who apparently crossed the line between defending their client and obstructing justice? And the two senators who, after Gov. Luis Singson blew the whistle, returned P1 million each given to them by Estrada as mahjongg tip? People Power II left much unfinished business. Even as the new administration buckles down to work, the search for truth must not stop. Exposing wrongdoing and knowing the truth will help prevent a repeat of the sins of the past.