Estrada’s trial will be another telenovela case - ROSES AND THORNS by Alejandro R. Roces

Deposed President Estrada still maintains that he is just on "indefinite leave" and that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is just an acting-president. He also stoutly maintains that he has not stolen a single centavo from the government’s coffers. This is in answer to the fact that the Department of Justice is preparing six criminal charges against him for his allegedly amassing P36 billion from illegal government transactions during his 30 months in office. The fact that he could not leave the country for a cataract operation should make him realize that he is no longer in command. There is no way for him to stop his impending trial for plunder, a nonbailable offense that carries with it the maximum penalty of death.

There is a whale of a difference between a real-life situation and a movie script. That is what went wrong with the impeachment trial. Some people wanted it scripted and it boomeranged against them. President Estrada steadfastly asserts that he has not stolen money from the people. His coming trial will give him the opportunity to prove his contention. Justice Secretary Hernando Perez is seeking the Supreme Court’s clearance to allow full media coverage of the trial. If this is granted, it will be even more interesting than the impeachment trial. President Estrada will have a bigger audience than he ever had in his entire movie career. Whether he will be the hero or the villain will all depend on the outcome of the trial.

The impeachment trial was a moment of truth for then-President Estrada. Obviously, he cannot to this day accept its consequences. Now, he is facing a second moment of truth – his trial for plunder. People Power as a result of the impeachment trial got him out of office. The coming trial for plunder will determine whether he will remain a free man or end up in jail and possibly the execution chamber. He should concentrate on his defense in the coming trial and not evade the trial by citing that he is immune to criminal charges by virtue of an office which he no longer occupies. In reality, even if he were still president, he would have to answer those very same charges the moment he steps down.

There is one way for Erap to personally know whether he is still president or not. He could simply announce that his indefinite leave is over and re-assume his position as President of the Republic of the Philippines. If no one listens to him, which is what will happen, then he should be convinced that he is not only a past president, but a totally discredited one.

There are some things that Estrada can still do that will show his alleged concern for the poor. Last Saturday, there was a very bad fire in San Andres Bukid, Manila. Six hundred homes were burned, leaving 3,000 families homeless. Why doesn’t he go there and help the fire victims? President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited the area. Surely, Erap, his cronies and mistresses could show some concern for those fire victims.