Estrada: I did not become president to rake in money

"I did not become President to rake in money."

President Estrada issued this statement yesterday hours before the House of Representatives approved an impeachment complaint against him for subsequent trial at the Senate.

"This is the last time I will be serving the public so why would I do that?" the embattled President said, referring to allegations he pocketed more than P400 million in bribes from illegal gambling operators.

At the same time, he appealed to labor unions not to push through with their planned nationwide strike today to demand his ouster.

"No amount of rallies can force me to step down," Mr. Estrada reiterated in a radio interview.

"I appeal to you not to go through with it. We have a crisis. Let’s join hands to pull out of this, for the sake of the nation," the Chief Executive said.

He reiterated his warning that forcing him to resign would set a dangerous precedent for future leaders who could be removed from office on the basis of unfounded accusations, turning the country into a "banana republic."

Mr. Estrada admitted last week that an aide had deposited in the bank account of the Erap Muslim Youth Foundation P200 million delivered by his estranged political ally, Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson.
Observers said the admission could be damaging to the President’s defense in the forthcoming impeachment hearings.

However, Mr. Estrada insisted on his innocence. "My conscience is clear," he proclaimed.

He vowed to prove the accusations wrong, adding he intended to remain in office until his term ends in 2004.

"I will prove wrong those who have put their personal and political interests above the interest of our country by demanding my ouster and fomenting political and economic stability," the President said.

He challenged the congressmen to impeach him.

At least 15 votes, or two-thirds of the 22-member Senate, are needed to boot Mr. Estrada out.

Analysts noted, however, that the impeachment trial is in itself, already an end-game for Mr. Estrada, who won the presidency with the biggest margin in Philippine history.

But his popularity appeared to have plunged in recent weeks as calls for his resignation gathered steam with a series of protest marches and rallies, including a Catholic Church-sponsored prayer rally last Nov. 4 attended by former Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos and erstwhile pro-administration congressional leaders who defected to the opposition.

Quoting Malaya Ronas, a political science professor at the state-run University of the Philippines, the Agency France Presse said with the impending impeachment proceeding, Mr. Estrada has become a "lame duck" president.

Ronas said even if Mr. Estrada finally emerged victorious, he still would have a difficult time consolidating support.

"It will be difficult for him to govern because the legislative leaders in Congress obviously believed the accusations of Singson which are very serious," Ronas said.

He also said the business community has lost its confidence in the Estrada leadership.

Ronas called on Mr. Estrada to bow out gracefully if found guilty. He warned, though, that more problems might come if the President is cleared by the senators.

"If he is not found guilty, then we will have a crisis for the remainder of his term. If you have a capital flight now, the next thing that would happen is unemployment and this could be massive. And if people are unemployed, civil unrest is not unlikely," the professor said.

In another move, Mr. Estrada shrugged allegations that he is a dyed-in-the-wool Marcos protégé.

The allegations were generated by his visit last Sunday to Batac in Ilocos Norte, also generally referred to as "Marcos country."

Mr. Estrada said as early as three weeks ago, Ilocos Norte Gov. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., only son of the late dictator, invited him to grace the opening of a newly constructed "Marcos Feedmill."

"I went there because it’s a good project for our farmers," Mr. Estrada said. "This does not mean we are for Marcos. The newspapers will make a big issue over this. But all the officials of Ilocandia were there also, even those from Ilocos Sur, Abra and La Union." - With Teddy Molina, AFP report