Sensing sure conviction, Erap looks for a way out

Listen To The Doctors: This being a Sunday, we’ll ask the lawyers to stand aside for a while so we can hear what the doctors are saying about the osteoarthritis of former President Erap Estrada, who wants to go to the United States to have both knees replaced.

The way Erap and his chorus present his medical case, they seem to want us to believe that the American orthopedic surgeon of Erap, identified as Dr. Christopher S. Mow of Stanford University in California, has put his foot down with the pat conclusion that Filipino surgeons and their facilities are not good enough for his VIP patient.

The Erap camp has been telling us and the Sandiganbayan that since the only hope for cure is in America, the court must allow Erap to fly posthaste to the US and have Dr. Mow operate on him. Otherwise, they warn, poor Erap may soon not be able to walk.

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And Mow Clarifies: A flurry of reactions was published in media, including some from Filipino surgeons and lawyers, but not from Mow.

What did Mow actually say on the matter? To help answer that, we’re publishing here an email he sent last Nov. 15 to fellows of the Philippine Orthopedic Association clarifying his position. He said:

"Dr. Lauro Abrahan (POA president–fdp) asked me to write to all of you concerning the press coverage of the past two weeks concerning my patient, former President Joseph Estrada. At the patient’s request, a medical report was prepared last July, detailing his condition and recommended treatment, bilateral total knee replacement.

"In the report, there was no reference to the renown expertise of the Philippine Orthopedic Community, nor was it stated anywhere that there is an ‘immediate’ need for the surgery, or that it could ‘only’ be done in the US.

"The quotation of ‘specialized equipment’ referred to the possible need for revision/constrained type of implants, which were not available in the Philippines when I checked with the three major international manufacturers in July.

"I have enjoyed and benefited from over three years of active academic exchange with fellows of the Philippine Orthopedic Association, through your excellent annual meeting and visits to the hospitals. I have the utmost respect for your expertise, and consider several of you my teachers. I look forward to continuing the strong tradition of the POA of international exchange with all of you."

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Bone Doctors Speak Up: In a letter to the Sandiganbayan, Dr Liberato Antonio C. Leagogo Jr., president of the Philippine Hip and Knee Society, said in part:

"Total knee replacement is being done in the Philippines by orthopedic surgeons since the 1980s. It is neither an uncommon nor a rare surgery. As for the competence of the local orthopedic surgeons, the Philippines has more than 15 Filipino orthopedic surgeons who have taken fellowships in total joint replacements in the US, Europe, Australia and Japan and who I assure you can do this surgery successfully.

"A society of orthopedic surgeons who are into joint surgery, the Philippine Hip and Knee Society, was established in 1991 to promote and develop this specialty. The society regularly holds conventions, meetings and workshops to ensure that the knowledge and skills of its members are always at par with that of the advanced countries.

"Dr. Ramon B. Gustilo, a world renowned orthopedic surgeon, whose specialty is in total knee replacement in the US (one of the top 20 there) and who I am sure Dr. Mow also knows, comes to the Philippines frequently and does this surgery here too.

"As for the lack of the proper equipment for the operation, may I say that there are at least three companies here in the Philippines that adequately provide the implant and the instrumentation for the total knee replacement. One of the companies, Orthopedic International which is based in Cabuyao, Laguna, after making a study on Asian joints, has come out with a total knee prosthesis that is most appropriate for Orientals. This has been tried and tested in the Philippines, Japan and Thailand.

"I therefore think that the former President can safely have his total knee replacement done here in the country."

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Central Issue Is Trust: Note that Erap is still up and about. As his own Stateside doctor says, there is no urgency. But of course it would be best to have the knee transplant as soon as possible to prevent further damage to his overworked joints.

His problem appears to be complicated by something else. His physician wife, Sen. Loi Estrada, has said, "We may have the best doctors, but if the patient is not at ease with them or does not have faith in them, the treatment would not be effective."

To which Dr. Albert U. Dy Jr., FPOA vice president, responded, "The central issue therefore is: Why does Estrada not trust the doctors here?"

Aside from that, we think the problem is complicated by Erap’s using his medical condition to score political points and to hoodwink the Sandiganbayan into letting him go to the US for surgery and whatever else he has in mind.

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Taking To The Streets: Knowing first hand the facts of the serious charges filed against him, and seeing the refusal of the courts to play along with his lawyers, it is clear that Erap now sees sure conviction.

That is the reason, we think, why he is stoutly refusing to be tried. Oo nga naman, why go through a trial when you know you are guilty and likely to be convicted based on the evidence and his televised confession?

What Erap is now trying to do is move the case from the court to the streets, to convert legal to political issues. In the streets, the master showman knows he has a better chance of swaying the crowd than convincing a no-nonsense panel of judges.

With his bid to fly to the US having been shown to be without merit, Erap is trying now to create extra-judicial issues. Yesterday the papers quoted him as asking to be jailed. We’re betting he’d be willing to pay to be pilloried. Anything dramatic and diversionary would be welcome.

One evening, the celluloid hero might just clutch his breast, gasp for breath and ask to be rushed to another hospital. One of these days, he could just appear in court in a wheelchair. Even his doctor-prescribed dieting is being passed of as a hunger strike.

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Ignore Him, If You Can: How to handle a cinematic Erap trying to break away from the jurisdiction of the court? A bored Sen. Joker Arroyo is right: Just ignore the ageing actor.

The scenario is really clear and simple. The charges are in court. Let the trial continue. Let nobody, even the President, intervene. In fact, we should speed it up. He should welcome a speedy trial since he claims to be innocent. With his billions, connections and million-dollar lawyers, he will have more than his share of justice and sure acquittal – if indeed he is innocent.

That was why we almost vomited when supposedly sensible elder statesmen – Blas Ople, Nene Pimentel, Ed Nagara and Joe de Venecia – held that ridiculous political circus to look for a way out of what they said was a crisis.

Wala pong "Erap crisis." There is NO CRISIS! The crisis is all in the mind of those who want to see a crisis developing so they can take advantage of it.

If only we in media could ignore most of the histrionics of Erap and his chorus and concentrate on ensuring a speedy trial. But then, that’s us media – we thrive in conflict. In fact, sometimes we have to invent a conflict just to have saleable news.

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