Drilon tells media, lawmakers: Don’t comment on Estrada house arrest

Senate President Franklin Drilon appealed yesterday to lawmakers and other sectors to uphold the independence of the judiciary by leaving the decision of placing ousted President Joseph Estrada under house arrest to the Sandiganbayan.

Drilon said the anti-graft court should be allowed to rule on the house arrest petition without any pressure or comments from other sectors.

"I appeal to all sectors to allow the Sandiganbayan to resolve the issue without any seeking to influence the decision. Resolutions or petitions of congressmen or senators, media and other sectors to allow Erap (Estrada) to be placed under house arrest is not good for the society," he said.

He stressed the need of all sectors joining hands in strengthening the independence of the judicial system.

Drilon warned the Sandiganbayan could cite legislators for contempt should the persist in pressuring the anti-graft court to place Estrada under house arrest.

Drilon said a few years back, a number of congressmen filed a resolution urging the Sandiganbayan to allow former First Lady Imelda Marcos to undergo medical treatment abroad. "The Sandiganbayan threatened to cite these congressmen for contempt," he said.

Drilon made the appeal as a number of legislators crossed party lines in filing Senate Resolution 494 urging that the former chief executive should now be placed under house arrest, invoking political reconciliation.

The resolution was filed Dec. 5, calling for the transfer of Estrada from his hospital detention ward at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center [VMMC] to his residence at Polk street at the posh North Greenhills subdivision in San Juan.

The authors who included Senators Edgardo Angara, Robert Jaworski, Ramon Revilla, Teresa Aquino-Oreta and Juan Flavier said Estrada’s house arrest would "help reconcile a deeply divided and fragmented country."

"A house arrest for the former president will be the first step toward national reconciliation at a time of worsening economic and political conditions in the country," the resolution said.

The senators said Estrada is not a threat to national security and the possibility of escaping from the jurisdiction of the court "is nil."

They said the former president "must be accorded the dignity befitting a former head of state." A house arrest will be more in keeping with respect for human rights and taking value the human dignity, the resolution stated.

Opposition Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. joined in yesterday and expressed optimism that the Sandiganbayan would decide favorably on the house arrest petition, noting the issue has gained widespread political support.

"Let the Sandiganbayan decide that [petition]. But I’m not looking only at a Christmas furlough for Mr. Estrada. I’m looking at the house arrest that will last until he gets a decision from Sandiganbayan, either way," he said.

Pimentel said his original proposal was more "radical," since it would allow Estrada to go on exile in the United States or any country willing to receive the former president.

"In other words, the whole idea was to get him out of the country so he will not be the rallying point of those who are against the Macapagal-Arroyo presidency," he said.

Pimentel said it is possible that the Arroyo administration is using the house arrest issue to gain political points.

Regardless of the administration’s motive, Pimentel emphasized the idea of placing Estrada under house arrest is a means of easing political tension and unifying the nation.

But other sectors, particularly a Church-based group remained unconvinced.

The group Promotion of Church People’s Response [PCPR] yesterday expressed its opposition on the proposal of house arrest.

"Absolutely not. We in the PCPR believe that the present hospital detention of Estrada is an outright mockery of justice. For someone who is guilty of massive plunder and corruption, the connivance of a hospital detention is revolting enough," said Amie Dural, PCPR deputy secretary and one of the convenors of the group Plunder Watch. – With reports from Sammy Santos, Sandy Araneta