Erap to undergo eye treatment in RP

Ousted President Joseph Estrada will be allowed to leave his place of detention at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City tomorrow to consult an eye doctor in Makati City.

Associate Justice Anacleto Badoy, chairman of the Sandiganbayan’s third division, issued the order yesterday allowing Estrada, who told the court he might require eye surgery, to undergo an eye examination at the Asian Eye Institute in Rockwell Center and stay there the whole day.

In case Estrada would require surgery, he could "file the corresponding motion," according to the order.

The court said state pro-secutors did not object to a medical furlough.

Police would escort the 64-year-old former movie actor, who was ousted on Jan. 20, to the clinic.

Estrada sought medical leave from detention last week for the eye examination, which he said may take four hours.

Former Justice Secretary Serafin Cuevas, one of Estrada’s lawyers, said the ousted president had complained of blurred vision, glare, difficulty with reading, and eye irritation, particularly in the left eye.

Dr. Amadeo Veloso Jr., Estrada’s ophthalmologist, said he has found a cataract as well as a cyst on Estrada’s eye, and "since then," he complained of further weakening vision.

"Subsequent visits shall depend on the progress of the patient’s recovery from surgery," he said. "In view of the nature of his eye problems and the urgent necessity to stop the weakening of his vision and relieve him for further symptoms, there is an urgent need for the President to pay the suggested visit to the Asian Eye Institute."

The court has yet to rule on a separate plea for medical leave so Estrada could fly to the United States for knee surgery.

Meanwhile, Ombudsman Aniano Desierto asked the Sandiganbayan yesterday to immediately set Estrada’s arraignment for perjury and illegal use of alias.

Desierto said the arraignment of Estrada on the two cases has been raffled off to the anti-graft court’s third division, which is chaired by Badoy.

The second perjury case arose from Estrada’s failure to declare his 1998 statement of assets and liabilities, and his three alleged bank accounts, which were said to contain more than P37 million.

In the information, prosecutors accused Estrada of lying when he only declared P378,385,307.08.

Desierto said Estrada has P57,106,201.40 deposited in Keppel Bank, Asian Bank and Security Bank.

In his cross-examination yesterday, Federico Pascual, former Social Security System general manager, described as "legal and regular" transactions on Oct. 28, 1999 where the agency bought some 351 million Belle shares amounting to P1.1 billion.

"The transaction is regular, straight and legal," he said. "The only unusual thing about it is the instruction of the President (Estrada). I was uncomfortable with the purchase of Belle shares because some people say that the Belle stocks is speculative because it is involved in gambling (jai alai) and the instruction made to me by the President."