El Shaddai to fully back Arroyo — Bro. Mike

Brother Mike Velarde said yesterday that the El Shaddai flock that he leads will support newly installed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, adding he gave the "final enlightenment" for former President Joseph Estrada to give way to his successor peacefully.

"Once she is sworn in, we should support her," said Velarde, the spiritual adviser of Estrada.

He has been in constant touch with Estrada since Wednesday to give him advice on how to handle the political crisis.

He explained that it was his responsibility to remain with Estrada because of his commitment to provide spiritual guidance to the former president.

He spoke with Estrada for the last time at 7 a.m. yesterday and the latter gave assurances that he would not allow any violence or harm to befall demonstrators, especially the pro-Erap group who stood guard in Mendiola.

He said that Estrada spoke of leaving Malacañang "very soon" and that he was just preparing his personal belongings.

Before that conversation, according to Velarde, Estrada had been adamant against resigning.

"When the military and police withdrew their support, I told him that that could paralyze the government with a stalemate," he recalled.

He warned that violence might erupt and Estrada’s record might be stained.

"If there will be killing, it will be bad for him," Velarde said.

He also said that Estrada maintained to the very end his innocence of the charges filed against him in the impeachment trial.

"He kept repeating that he just wanted to clear his name. He wanted to open the second envelope to prove that he was not Jose Velarde," Velarde added.

Asked about his opinion on the statements of Estrada, Velarde refused, citing confidentiality.

"When you are a confessor, you don’t reveal your discernment," Velarde said. – Marvin Sy, Marichu Villanueva