Susan, Dolphy want to visit Estrada

A group of showbiz celebrities, led by actress Susan Roces and comedian Dolphy, asked the Sandiganbayan yesterday for permission to visit former President Joseph Estrada on his birthday.

Estrada, who is detained at his sprawling Tanay, Rizal resthouse, will turn 68 on April 19. His visitors want to see him on Tuesday to greet him in advance.

In a three-page petition, they said they also want to attend an exhibit of memorabilia Estrada will display in honor of actor Fernando Poe Jr., Roces’ late husband and Estrada’s best friend.

Poe died in December after a massive stroke.

"The host would like to honor his late bosom buddy, FPJ (Poe’s initials), who has been acclaimed as an outstanding Filipino and decent human being," they said in their petition, penned by lawyer Rene Saguisag.

"As he turns 68 this month, the occasion will also enable the attendees to celebrate the event, in his fourth year of detention," the petition stated.

There are 42 people in the group, including Roces and Dolphy.

Also in the group are actresses Boots Anson-Roa and Barbara Perez, actors Eddie Garcia, Richard Gomez, Robert Arevalo, Rez Cortez and Niño Mulach; singer Zsa Zsa Padilla, and directors Butch Plata, Eddie Romero, Joel Lamangan, Mel Chionglo, Espiridion Laxa and Carlitos Siguion-Reyna and his wife Bibeth Orteza, among other personalities.

The visitor list grew to 42 as the celebrities’ spouses asked to tag along.

Poe ran for president in last year’s election at the urging of Estrada. He narrowly lost to President Arroyo but the movie icon claimed Mrs. Arroyo’s camp cheated in the polls.

He filed an electoral protest with the Supreme Court but he died before the court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, could rule on his petition.

Roces had asked the court to allow her to pursue her husband’s protest but the high tribunal rejected her petition last week, arguing that she was not the principal "party in interest" to the protest.

It also junked Poe’s poll protest, saying it died after Poe’s camp failed to pursue his petition after the actor’s sudden demise, instead pressing the popular Roces to stand in for her husband.

Estrada was ousted from power in 2001 by a military-backed popular uprising following accusations that he amassed up to P4 billion from an illegal gambling protection racket that he ran during his 31-month presidency.

He also allegedly pocketed state funds intended for tobacco farmers. Estrada was replaced by then vice president Gloria Arroyo.

He denies the charges and maintains his ouster was illegal and that he enjoys parliamentary immunity.