‘Al-Ghozi escape proved Erap safer in VMMC’

Better the Veterans Hospital than Camp Crame.

Chief Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa Ignacio joked yesterday that self-confessed terrorist Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi would not have escaped had he been detained at Veterans Memorial Medical Center rather than at the police camp also in Quezon City.

"Hindi na talaga namin ipapalipat pa si Erap (jailed former President Joseph Estrada) dahil mas safe pa pala sa Veterans," Villa Ignacio said, preferring that Estrada remain at VMMC where he was not likely to escape a la Al-Ghozi.

He cited several instances when several high-profile prisoners had managed to walk to freedom from the supposedly tightly guarded police camp, like suspected drug lord Henry Tan and kidnap band leader Faisal Marohombsar, who however was later killed in an alleged encounter in Cavite.

In a joke seething with sarcasm, the soft-spoken Villa Ignacio said that the Al-Ghozi incident only proved their position right all along, that it is not only politically correct for them to let the ex-president stay in his hospital suite, but also because there is less risk Estrada would bolt confinement at VMMC.

"I think that if Al-Ghozi is recaptured, he should be brought to VMMC because it’s a much safer place there. It’s more secured," he said in Filipino.

Villa Ignacio acknowledged earlier that while Estrada’s transfer to Camp Crame remains an option, it wouldn’t be wise for them to move for it now because his allies might just use it as a propaganda tool to accuse the government of persecuting the deposed leader.

"We are not inclined to take that option because that would be most welcome to the defense. They would use it to agitate Estrada’s hardcore followers. They might say it’s a persecution against Erap. The situation is very critical now," he said.

His subordinate prosecutors — John Turalba, Antonio Manzano, Ray Olaguer and Humphrey Monteroso — earlier said that they are bent on seeking Estrada’s transfer from his Veterans suite to Camp Crame because he is already physically fit to attend trial.

They said it was about time to "bring him back where he belongs" since no less than his new lawyer, Alan Paguia, wanted him to attend the twice-a-week trial, which only means that he is physically fit, not to mention that he has not been complaining of any illness.

"We have observed that he is already fit to stand trial so there’s no need for him to stay at the hospital. There is no more ground for his confinement. He has not complained of any ailment. It’s time to bring him back to where he belongs," said Turalba.

But Villa Ignacio said he had prevailed upon his deputies.

"I told them just to concentrate on the plunder case. We should not be diverted from that focus. At this point, we need not be distracted in the plunder case," he emphasized.

Villa Ignacio stressed they would "not achieve anything" if they fall for every bait the Estrada camp dangles.

Estrada has been detained at the VMMC since May 2001. His son and co-accused in the plunder suit, former San Juan mayor Jinggoy Estrada, was freed on bail last March 7.

The former leader was detained awhile in Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, but the detention cell specially built for him now holds Muslim leader Nur Misuari, who is facing rebellion charges for attacking an army camp in Zamboanga City in November 2001.