Erap denies destabilization raps

Deposed President Joseph Estrada vehemently denied yesterday Malacañang’s allegation that he was providing the "logistics" to support continuing attempts to destabilize the government.

"I have nothing to do with it," he told The STAR Monday night at the Manila Hotel while celebrating the 100th birthday of his mother Mary Marcelo-Ejercito.

"Kanya-kanya silang spekulasyon (They engaged in speculations)," Estrada fumed.

This was after Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said intelligence reports reaching the Palace pointed to Estrada as a "source of logistics support" to anti-government activities by some of his supporters.

Despite Estrada’s alleged rejection of offers for him to join the group of disgruntled retired military officials led by ex-general Fortunato Abat, he remains among Malacañang’s usual suspects in coup plots against the Arroyo administration, Ermita said.

Estrada, who is being tried for plunder by the Sandiganbayan, boarded a helicopter that returned him to his rest house at Tanay, Rizal after the seven-hour furlough lapsed at 11 p.m. Monday. He was accompanied by his police escorts.

The anti-graft court had granted the furlough that allowed him to attend his mother’s birthday celebration.

Estrada expressed satisfaction that the party was "successful," despite the increased security imposed by police inside and around the hotel amid rumors of another coup attempt.

The rumors started after Estrada blew the whistle on alleged offers made to him by Abat to join a "de facto" council of leaders that would run the country should President Arroyo be ousted.

The 68-year-old Estrada said he rejected the alleged overtures made by Abat, who served under former President Fidel Ramos as defense secretary, to join the efforts to bring about Mrs. Arroyo’s ouster.

The next day, Ramos denied Estrada’s allegations and distanced himself from the alleged coup plot.

Ermita said available intelligence reports indicate that Estrada had something to do with the destabilization attempts, but he refused to name which groups were allegedly receiving logistical support from Estrada.

"That’s a lot of nonsense!" Estrada said, claiming he did not even have enough money for the birthday celebrations, so other members of the Ejercito clan pitched in to pay the hotel.

He pointed out that he could not have financed any coup attempts since his bank accounts have been frozen since April 2001 after plunder charges were filed against him.

Estrada also challenged Ramos to a public debate so Filipinos could judge "who are telling the truth and who (are) the ones lying and fooling" the people.

"I challenge him to a debate about the performance of his administration, together with our respective Cabinet members," he said.

Estrada added that the fight would be between "bionic man" and "carrot man," referring to his own titanium knee replacements and Ramos’ carotid artery surgery after suffering a near-fatal stroke while in office.

Estrada took potshots at Ramos after the latter described him as a "recycled president, with recycled knees" and as a leader who promoted a "culture of laziness" in the country during his short-lived stay in office.

Estrada, in turn, said his predecessor engendered a "culture of corruption" with allegedly anomalous deals worth millions of pesos. He cited government contracts with independent power producers, the Centennial Expo scam, and the sale of three major government assets – Petron Corp. shares, Fort Bonifacio, and the National Steel Corp.

Malacañang, on the other hand, said it is not threatened by Estrada’s alleged involvement with any destabilization attempts since he is not a serious security threat at this point.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said information received by Ermita was "raw" and "that’s the reason why this information is being verified."

He added that unless the information is verified, Malacañang had no reason to make any statements on whether Estrada will be held liable for his alleged links to a plot to overthrow the government.

Meanwhile, the Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino (Kampi) urged Estrada and Ramos to make good on their word that they would not involve themselves in any destabilization attempts.

Kampi, founded by Mrs. Arroyo, urged Ramos to dissuade Abat and other people identified with him from working for Mrs. Arroyo’s ouster.

"Please... talk to your former defense secretary because we know you can straighten him out. Of all people, you should know that Abat’s machinations, while futile, are having a negative effect on the country’s image abroad and on investor confidence," Kampi said in a statement.

As for Estrada, Kampi said he should focus on the plunder charges he is facing before the Sandiganbayan.

A local spokesman for the National Democratic Front (NDF), on the other hand, rejected calls for a "civil-military" junta to take over if Mrs. Arroyo were ousted.

Greg Bañares of the NDF’s Bicol regional commission warned that once the proposed junta consolidates its power, it would later go after "revolutionary forces," declare martial law and pave the way for a "fascist dictatorship."

He called on the military and the police to instead support an "EDSA-type people’s uprising" and a "council of patriotic and democratic forces" could then run the government. — With Aurea Calica, Jess Diaz, Benjie Villa