ERAP'S LIFE IS AN OPEN BOOK

ERAP'S LIFE IS AN OPEN BOOK

MANILA, MARCH 1, 2010 (STAR) COMMONSENSE By Marichu A. Villanueva - As far as Philippine history unfolded, former President Joseph Estrada is a victim of the so-called EDSA 1 and 2 people power revolutions. Let’s have a quick recall of the twin events.

After the EDSA 1 people power revolution in February 1986, Estrada was among the several hundreds of elected local government officials who were all removed from their posts without basis. Officers-in-charge (OICs) were instead appointed in these elective posts. Estrada who had been San Juan mayor for 16 years was forced to step down to give way to the OIC named by the late President Corazon “Cory” Aquino after the ouster of the late President Ferdinand Marcos out of Malacañang Palace.

Estrada recalled how the people of San Juan stood behind him during those dark days to prevent a non-elected OIC to take over the helm of their town hall. The San Juan folks held vigils every day until Estrada himself peacefully gave way to prevent continuing clashes between his loyal constituents and the “yellow” forces of the Aquino administration. Estrada noted with a tinge of amusement that it was a costly fight literally and otherwise. He had to feed every day his supporters holding fort at the town hall, that’s why.

And the rest, as we say, is history. Riding on his popular support, Estrada decided to run for national office as opposition senatorial candidate in the May 1987 elections, the first elections held under the newly ratified Constitution of the country. The only opposition candidates who survived the administration rout of the 24-man Senate slots up for grabs then were Estrada and former Defense Secretary Juan Ponce-Enrile who resigned from the Aquino Cabinet after a bitter parting of ways.

Estrada proved wrong his critics and detractors who sneered at an actor’s attempt to become a senator with his performance at the Senate. He stood against the extension of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement and became one of the so-called “Magnificent 12” or the majority number of senators who voted against the wishes of the late President Aquino to extend this treaty. He principally authored several landmark laws, including the “Carabao Law” that mandated the government to institutionalize the development of the carabao breed with higher milk production and stronger work animal for our farmers.

So when he decided to seek higher office, Estrada again won handsomely in the May 1992 elections as Vice President while his presidential running mate, Marcos crony businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, lost the race to President Fidel V. Ramos. For six years, Estrada showed the Filipino people the leadership stuff he has when he steered a non-Cabinet portfolio agency called the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC).

His stellar performance as PACC chief turned his crime-fighting movie roles in the past from reel to real. He transformed his “Erap para sa Masa” campaign motto into a political vehicle and formed his own party which he dubbed as Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP). Thus, when he run for the May 1998 presidential elections, Estrada became the country’s first elected Chief Executive who posted the highest margin of victory – at least 10 million votes – over his administration-backed rival, former Speaker Jose de Venecia.

On the other hand, equally popular with Estrada during those times, Sen. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo – who was De Venecia’s vice presidential candidate – won also by a wide margin over Estrada’s running mate, Sen. Edgardo Angara.

Only more than two years in office at the Palace, Estrada found himself in the middle of impeachment after his estranged fellow mahjong player ex-Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson accused him of allegedly receiving monthly “jueteng” take from the operators of illegal numbers game.

Estrada was ousted from the Palace on Jan. 20, 2001, a day after private prosecutors led a walkout of an ongoing impeachment trial at the Senate that led to EDSA 2. Mrs. Arroyo took over the presidency. Estrada was subsequently charged, detained, and convicted on plunder case by the Sandiganbayan. After six years and six months of detention, the last two years of which were spent in his rest house in Tanay, Rizal, President Arroyo granted him executive clemency that restored all his political rights, including the right to vote and be voted upon.

Fast forward. Estrada is running again in the presidential elections this May 10 with Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay as vice presidential running mate under the PMP-United Opposition ticket. This is why we had Estrada as the featured guest in the third of a series of The STAR’s presidential forum “So you want to be President?” last Friday night. Despite coming all the way from his daylong campaign sortie up north, Estrada stayed for the almost three-hour forum that ended way past 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

Accompanied by his campaign manager, former ambassador Ernesto Maceda, and ex-Sen. Francisco Tatad who is making a comeback at the Senate under the PMP-UNO senatorial ticket, Estrada flew back to Manila and proceeded to The STAR office from La Union, the last leg of their campaign sortie in the Ilocos region. No, he did not run into Chavit Singson who is also running for Ilocos Sur governor again.

But this is unlike the first time when he first ran as the most popular candidate in the presidential race that included the late Sen. Raul Roco, then Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, and De Venecia. Enrile, who ran as an independent presidential bet against Estrada, is now seeking re-election as senator under the PMP-UNO. Now turning 73 years old this coming April, Estrada is faced with very much younger opponents and a bigger field of presidential aspirants. Current surveys show he is running third as the most preferred presidential bet.

Estrada’s life is an open book that none of his presidential rivals even dare to raise the same old campaign issues against his return bid to the Palace.

At the end of our forum, Maceda cited the spontaneous answers to all questions thrown at his candidate – including the on-the-spot check on his blood pressure by our company nurse – to show Estrada’s being more than fit to vie anew for the presidency even with much younger opponents now.

Like China that Estrada cited as a “model” of economic growth for the Philippines to follow, Maceda described the come-backing former President in the mold of the older leaders who ruled this country to become Asia’s super power.

The Filipino voters will decide if Estrada has every right to seek back the presidency stolen from him by EDSA 2.

Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi

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