‘Estrada operation a success’

Deposed President Joseph Estrada emerged smiling and waving to a crowd after a brief eye surgery that his doctors said was a complete success.

The former leader was whisked back to detention after the 19-minute surgery to remove a cataract in his left eye at the upscale Asian Eye Institute in Makati City.

"It was 100 percent successful," Estrada told reporters, pointing to his slightly swollen left eye protected by eyeglasses. He said he was sedated for the surgery.

The Sandiganbayan allowed Estrada to undergo the operation, but turned down his other demands, including a trip to the United States for a knee operation and a visit to his home in Greenhills, San Juan for Christmas.

He has been detained at the government-run Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City since May on corruption charges including the capital offense of plunder, a first in Philippine jurisprudence.

He was arrested in April and put on trial on Oct. 1.

The anti-graft court canceled last week this month’s hearing after the Supreme Court declared the trial judge, Justice Anacleto Badoy Jr., on indefinite leave pending resolution of petitions against him for alleged partiality and misconduct.

The so-called trial of the century is set to resume next month.

The trial has been mired in weeks of wrangling and hampered by Estrada’s health problems, as well as a feud between Badoy and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Francis Garchitorena.

Even Ombudsman Aniano Desierto, head of the prosecution panel, has been facing impeachment proceedings for alleged bribery.

The plunder case stemmed from Estrada’s alleged amassing of ill-gotten wealth amounting to P4 billion during his 31 months in office.

He was also accused of perjury for alleged misdeclaration of his net worth in his statement of assets and liabilities for 1999.

He has denied any wrongdoing.

His son Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada was also cited as a co-accused in the plunder case, along with lawyer Edward Serapio and five other people.

Estrada was ousted in January by a military-backed popular uprising sparked by charges of massive corruption and misrule, ending a three-decade political career that took off from his popularity as a movie actor.

Meanwhile, Jinggoy is expected to be released soon from the Makati Medical Center where he was taken last week after complaining of chest pains and difficulty in breathing.

Dr. Lorenzo Hocson said the younger Estrada was doing fine following a series of medical tests.

Hocson said although Jinggoy’s blood pressure continued to fluctuate, he may be discharged tomorrow.

Like his father, Jinggoy is also being detained at the VMMC.