Military defection turns tide vs Estrada

Resignation by the entire military hierarchy that left him literally defenseless precipitated the early collapse of the Estrada presidency.

Mr. Estrada, who assumed the presidency on June 30, 1998, was pushed to resign on the third day of a rapidly burgeoning "people power II" which was markedly reminiscent of the phenomenal EDSA revolt that toppled the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 and catapulted the widow of mar-tyred Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. to the presidency.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes, who led major service commanders and several senior officers of the military and the Philippine National Police (PNP), gave assurances that Mr. Estrada and his family would be allowed to "exit with dignity."

The end for the country’s 13th president also came four days after his impeachment trial ground to a halt due to a walkout by the prosecution panel in protest over the suppression of crucial evidence by pro-admi-nistration senators.

Voting 11-10, the senators, sitting as judges in the impeachment proceedings, preempted Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., presiding officer of the tribunal, from ruling on the issue.

Earlier yesterday, the embattled President announced that he was ordering his lawyers in the impeachment trial to allow the opening of an envelope containing the documents pertaining to his accounts with Equitable-PCI Bank, which the prosecution said held P3.3 billion in ill-gotten wealth.

The President insisted anew that he was innocent of the charges against him.

Mr. Estrada was on trial before the Senate for alleged bribery, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution.

His proposal, however, had been overtaken by events, with the people taking to the streets to decide Mr. Estrada’s fate as a leader.

Faced with the defection of his aides and followers, Mr. Estrada later announced that he was stepping down effective June 30 this year after his successor has been chosen in a snap poll to be held simultaneously with the May 14 local and senatorial elections.

It remained, however, if his last-ditch effort to hang on to power was acceptable to the opposition and the ever-growing number of anti-Estrada advocates that massed up at the EDSA Shrine in Mandaluyong City and in other major cities nationwide.

Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado, accompanied by Reyes and the major service commanders, walked to the EDSA Shrine from the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters in nearby Camp Aguinaldo to join the mammoth anti-Estrada rally where they formally announced their withdrawal of support from the President amid boisterous cheering from the crowd.

Hours before his resignation, Mercado called on the troops to stay clear of the fray between the pro- and anti-Estrada camps.

Mercado’s top aide, lawyer Ruben Carranza, resigned earlier following revelations at the impeachment trial that the mysterious Jose Velarde and Mr. Estrada were one and the same person.

At about 4 p.m., Reyes proclaimed Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the new President while Mr. Estrada was still holed up at Malacañang.

Reyes also asked the President to not to be vindictive against the opposition who would eventually take over the reins of governance.

"On behalf of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, we wish to announce that we are withdrawing support from the incumbent President," Reyes told the crowd.

He added the military places its full support behind Arroyo.

Arroyo, constitutional successor of Mr. Estrada, urged the people to "begin the healing process," saying the country has been so deeply divided.

She called on the troops to protect their commanders. "Let us all go to EDSA and protect the two camps (Aguinaldo and Crame)."

Those who joined Reyes in abandoning Mr. Estrada were Navy chief Vice Admiral Willy Wong, Army chief Lt. Gen. Diomedio Villanueva, Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Jose Calimlim, Deputy AFP chief Lt. Gen. Jaime de los Santos and Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Benjamin Defensor, a brother of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

Former Defense Secretary Renato de Villa hailed the move taken by Reyes and the other ranking military and police officials.

"We have won (the battle). The entire Armed Forces and the police are now with us," De Villa announced at the EDSA rally.

PNP deputy chief Reynaldo Wycoco clarified that they were not staging any coup against the Estrada presidency. "This is just withdrawing our support. A coup is unconstitutional."

De Villa also announced the defection of Marines commanding officer Maj. Gen. Librado Ladia.

People Power II also enjoyed the support of former President Fidel Ramos, himself a former defense secretary and AFP chief of staff, a group of retired military generals led by Fortunato Abat, leaders of the rightist Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa (RAM) including retired Commodore Domingo Calajate and Col. Reynaldo Berroya.

Ramos noted that people power II was done better than people power I.

A source said Reyes consulted first with former President Corazon Aquino about his decision to abandon Mr. Estrada.

Aquino then conveyed the matter to Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, while Reyes also talked about his plan with Ramos.

Orly says vote on second envelope was last straw

What was initially viewed as a strategic move to perpetuate the Estrada presidency until 2004 eventually brought an abrupt end to his leadership.

"We have come to a very shameful end," said Mercado who became the first Cabinet Secretary to withdraw support from the President yesterday.

Mercado said the vote to reject the presentation of the contents of the second sealed envelope as prosecution evidence in the impeachment trial against the leader was the "last straw" for his tolerance of a defective administration.

Mercado said the shocking revelations by prosecution surprise witness Clarissa Ocampo, senior vice president of Equitable-PCI Bank, that the President signed his name as Jose Velarde on bank documents prompted him to reassess his loyalty to Mr. Estrada.

But the last straw was when the impeachment trial was suspended because of the prosecution panel’s resignation over the senators’ vote on the second envelope.

He said he made up his mind to withdraw support from Mr. Estrada whom he had known since 1987 when they both became senators.

"What was keeping me from withdrawing my support was my fear that the person who will replace me will use the military to perpetuate themselves in power," Mercado told a group of close associates in Camp Aguinaldo.

He said the suspension of the trial worried him because it would create a big problem for the military.

He said when the impeachment process collapsed, the Estrada administration lost any legal ground to stand on. "Soon, we are going to be faced with a worsening peace and order problem."

Mercado said he arrived from China on Tuesday night, in time to watch the final moments of the impeachment trial on television.

During a meeting with the President at Malacañang the following day, he said he broached the idea of defection to Reyes who was also at the meeting.

"I said to him that we should closely analyze the situation which was already becoming difficult and I told him that we should meet," Mercado said.

Reyes replied that he would be available at the secretary’s request.

"It turned out Angie (Reyes) had already been talking with his officers and some retired generals including De Villa," Mercado recalled.

None of the secretary’s close aides and staff members had an inkling that he was going to break away from the government.

Not even his wife, Health Undersecretary Susie Pineda-Mercado, knew he would be taking a bold step.

Gringo tries to redeem himself

Sen. Gringo Honasan, one of the 11 senator-judges who voted down the opening of the second envelope on the Velarde bank account, called for reconciliation among the people.

Honasan, a key figure in the EDSA Revolt of 1986 then led a series of coup attempts against Mrs. Aquino, said he was "on the side of peace and the people."

He also urged Mr. Estrada to step down to avoid bloodshed. "If need be to avert further bloodshed and chaos, I am calling on His Excellency, President Joseph Estrada to make the supreme sacrifice of making the first move towards the realization of this goal," Honasan said in a statement.

At the same time, Honasan warned that he will lead the 15,000-strong RAM and the 400,000 members of Guardians to resist any group that would try to grab power by force.

He offered to mediate between the President and the military officials who defected to forge a peaceful solution to the crisis.

The RAM leaders earlier denounced Honasan for allegedly participating in the maneuver to suppress vital evidence in the impeachment trial.

In another development, Arroyo’s chief of staff lawyer Renato Corona, divulged an alleged plot by two top politicians to set up a civilian-military junta in case of Mr. Estrada’s resignation.

Corona pointed out, however, that the coup plotters were actually supporters of the President.

"They are organizing the junta while pretending to be solidly behind the President," Corona said.

Under the plan, Mr. Estrada will either be eliminated or retained as civilian head.

Quoting intelligence reports reaching Arroyo’s office, Corona said the plotters and their military and police cohorts have tried to block anti-Estrada rallyists from various provinces from going to Manila.

He said 20 truckloads of protesters form Quezon province and another 5,000 from Baguio City and the Cordilleras were stopped by the police and soldiers along the way.

Meanwhile, resigned PNP chief Director General Panfilo Lacson vowed to protect Malacañang from the mob of protesters. "We are talking here about the seat of government and we have to protect it."

He also stressed that the PNP hierarchy will not obey any illegal orders from the government. He did not elaborate.

"As much as possible, we will avoid a direct or physical confrontation. We will request each of them to stay at their designated places," Lacson said. — With reports from Sheila Crisostomo, Liberty Dones, Christina Mendez, Perseus Echeminada, Jose Rodel Clapano