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TOWARDS A CREDIBLE AND IMPARTIAL VERDICT BY THE SANDIGANBAYAN” Privilege Speech of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, September 11, 2007  Posted: August 6th, 2008 @ 2:31am With your kind indulgence, I rise today on a matter of personal and collective privilege to call for calm and sobriety as the Sandiganbayan renders its verdict on the plunder case against President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, this Representation and Atty. Edward Serapio. Tomorrow, as have been reported, the special court of the Sandiganbayan created to try our case, is expected to release its decision after six long and agonizing years of trial. Over the past couple of days, there have been frenzied and frantic preparations for this occasion in anticipation of widespread people protests in the event perhaps of an unacceptable verdict. And this is justified in many colorful but incredible ways. It was even insinuated at one point that there is a threat on President Estrada’s life or that communist elements will disrupt the proceedings. At President Estrada’s detention place in Tanay, security has been tightened with visitors and well-wishers being denied entry. Even the visits of relatives and close friends have been closely monitored and restricted. Maraming script at scenario ang pinalalabas pero ang puno‘t dulo nito ay ang takot ni Ginang Arroyo sa magiging reaksyon ng mamamayan. Baku raw magkagulo samantalang ang gulo naman ay laging nag-uumpisa sa Malacńang dahil ayaw nilang magpaliwanag sa mga anomalya at iskandalo na kinasasangkutan nito. The paranoid government of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has deployed thousands of police and even military contingents to secure strategic locations, including the vicinities of the Sandiganbayan and the President's residence in Greenhills, San. Juan. Ang nakakapagtaka, ang lahat ng lakad at pakikipag-usap ni Ginuag Arroyo ay kanselado mula sa araw na ito hanggang bukas. Bakit? May multo bang darating na siya mimio ang may gawa? This is all but reminiscent of the blatant overkill that marked our arrest over six years ago. And it Is another reflection of the structure of the garrison state which Mrs. Arroyo has been imposing and inflicting on our society since she grabbed power in 2001. It is a grim message to all critics and those who disagree with this regime that it will not allow and tolerate opposition from even legitimate dissent and law-abiding citizens. Maximum tolerance, it seems, has been a policy abandoned many years ago. This unnecessary deployment of so many troops is a disturbing reminder that this Administration will go to great lengths of brutal and ruthless suppression of the rights of peaceful assembly and the repression of other rights to retain power. And it has gone to great lengths to grab power, to cheat and steal the elections, and now, refusing to be accountable and explain itself to our people for its actions. This humble Representation had been detained for about three years until my release on bail, along with Atty. Edward Serapio because the magistrates of the Sandiganbayan deemed it perhaps that evidence against us is weak. Si Pungulong Estrada ay nananatiling nakakulong ngayon sa loob ng makigit na anim na taon. Ang tingin ng mas nakurarami nating mga kababayan at ito ung kutobng inyong lingkod, tanging si Pangulong Estrada lamang ang target ng lahat ng mga pangyayaring ito, sapagkat nais lamang ng pamahalaan na gamitin bilang kasangkapan ang Sandiganbayan upang mapangatuwiran ang walang dahilang pagkakaalis ni Pangulong Erap sa pagkapangulo ng bansang Pilipinas. Nagtiis po siya ng maraming taon at sa halip na tumakas o tanggapin rin ang alok noon ng pumahalaan ni Mrs. Arroyo na magbitiw Iamang bilang Pangulo ng Republika ng Pilipinas at siya ay hahayaang kusung umalis ng bansa ng walang kasong isasampa laban sa kanya. But instead, President Estrada has opted to remain in the country under the pain of detention, isolated from his loved ones and the society of his friends, to face the charges against him and present evidence in his defense. He willingly appeared before the Sandiganbayan for several sessions to testify in his behalf and submitted himself confidently to cross-examination by the prosecution. In all of these, one thing is clear and evident: President Estrada and this humble Representation, along with Attorney Serapio, submitted ourselves to the jurisdiction of the courts with full faith in our justice system. President Estrada complied and observed the rule of law from the time impeachment charges were filed against him up to the failed and aborted impeachment trial in this very hall. He did not influence, pressure or intimidate anyone to avoid the charges. He did not resort to cover-ups, whitewash or any acts that may diminish the integrity of the process or the proceedings. Ngunit ano po ang ginawa noon ng Gng. Arroyo? Noong Nagkaroon ng Impeachment proceedings sa House of Representatives, ano po ang ginawa niya? Nagtatawag siya sa lahat ng Congressman para Huwag lang siyang ma-impeach sa House of Representatives. Ngunit si Panguling Erap, noong nagkaroon ng impeachment proceedings sa House of Representatives noong 2000, ni isang congressman wala ho siyang tinawagan, and that can be attested by Senator Arroyo. This is in stark contrast to the present regime where witnesses are bullied into withholding truthful testimonies or are prevented from testifying. Tomorrow, we submit ourselves to the decision of the Sandiganbayan, hopeful thatthe majesty of the law will prevail, that the case will be decided on the basis of merits, on the basis of evidence, on the basis of jurisprudence, and not on any other peripheral considerations. We believe that much of the evidence against us were based on the polluted testimonies and allegations of who has been called by an American judge as a demonstrably corrupt governor who has no credibility in the eyes of our people. And this was demonstrated in the recent elections where he failed miserably to even rank in the top 20 of senatorial candidates. President Estrada wishes to clear his name and to retire gradually to private life. He seeks to dedicate himself to alleviating the conditions of the poor which lie has been doing even while in detention. But he also seeks, as with many righteous and law-abiding citizens, to pursue the fight against corruption and injustice, and more importantly, to bring out the truth, not only with his case, but to the so many and mounting scandals committed by this Administration. These are aspirations and responsibilities which we now must bear and assume. We are elated, however, that a recent survey indicated that majority of our people believe that President Estrada is not guilty. Sa madding salita, ang sambayanan ang nagsasabi na sa kanilang pananaw, walang kasalanan si Pangulong Estrada. Anyway, our people have already overwhelmingly acquitted him based on the surveys. I take this opportunity to express the hope that the Sandiganbayan will render a credible decision based on the merits and that it will do so with noble impartiality and unqualified independence. We hope that it will render a judgment that will restore the faith of our people in our justice system which has been unfortunately gradually being eroded under this regime or Mrs. Arroyo. |
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Copyright © 2008 Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
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