Erap likely to spend Christmas at army camp

Deposed President Joseph Estrada will most likely spend his third Christmas in detention, but this time at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal – near his Mediterranean-type vacation villa – and not at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC), where he spent the last two Christmases.

Chief Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa Ignacio told Sandiganbayan reporters that he sees no problem with the former president spending the holidays at the Army training camp near his resthouse.

"It’s okay with us. It’s Christmas anyway. I don’t think we will oppose that," he said.

Villa Ignacio earlier protested Estrada’s transfer from the VMMC to the military camp, especially since it was a request the deposed leader had long been asking the court.

Defense counsels Manuel Pamaran and Jose Flaminiano argued that Camp Capinpin was actually a better detention place for their client, as he will have the opportunity to breath fresh air, unlike at the VMMC where he was not even allowed to go out of the hospital suite.

"He can go outside for sunning. He will have the chance to jog around and walk anytime," said Flaminiano, one of the four court-appointed lawyers of Estrada.

The Philippine National Police (PNP), the designated custodian of the fallen leader, also told Sandiganbayan justices that they favor Estrada’s permanent relocation to Tanay, since maintaining a hospital suite and providing security for him in attending hearings are very costly.

PNP legal director Chief Superintendent Doroteo Reyes claims that Estrada’s security expenses amount to a minimum of P500,000 a day. The PNP, he said, spends P170,000 monthly for additional meal allowance for PNP personnel, P6,000 in bringing Estrada to and from the Sandiganbayan where he attends trial and another P6,000 for additional police personnel, whenever there are mass actions.

Reyes said that with Estrada in Tanay, the police camp would be able to provide him ample security at lower cost.

"Air travel will do away with escorts, traffic and route security personnel," Reyes said.