Erap asks Makati court to dismiss Joelle’s case

Ousted President Joseph Estrada asked the Makati City prosecutor’s office yesterday to dismiss for lack of merit the deceit case filed against him by a former beauty queen.

In his counter-affidavit, the 69-year-old Estrada said it is "obvious" that the complaint of Joelle Pelaez is "wholly and completely bereft of any truth or merit whatsoever."

Former immigration commissioner Rufus Rodriguez, one of Estrada’s lawyers, said the case filed by Pelaez was designed to destroy and malign the reputation of his client because some "interested parties" would be affected by his acquittal.

Pelaez had repeatedly accused Estrada of involvement in money-laundering, but that she only managed to file the other deceit case against the ousted president, he added.

The complaint of Pelaez did not allege any specific offense that he had committed, and neither did it cite any specific provision of the penal code that he had allegedly violated, Estrada said.

In his counter-affidavit, Estrada said he met Pelaez through his friend Anabelle Rama at a birthday party on Jan. 29, 1999.

During that meeting, Pelaez mentioned that her mother, Blanquita, was having a hard time talking to then Philippine National Police chief, now Sen. Panfilo Lacson, regarding the payment of taxes and permits on handcuffs which her mother was supplying to the PNP.

He advised Pelaez that it would be best if her mother would continue talking to Lacson, whom he had described to be reasonable and upright, he added.

Estrada denied having given Pelaez P2 million to buy a BMW car and an expensive condominium unit at the Renaissance Tower on Ortigas Avenue in Pasig.

Estrada also rejected Pelaez’ allegation that she had joined him on a trip to Hong Kong in April 1999, along with her mother and sister.

Estrada said Pelaez went to Hong Kong to again ask for his intercession in his mother’s problem with Lacson.

"I told complainant for the last time that I cannot be of any assistance to her mother for the reason that, as explained to me by then PNP chief Lacson, the payment of the handcuffs contract of the mother with the PNP could not be made because the mother and her supplier wanted the PNP to pay for the tariff duties, taxes and permits," Estrada said in his counter-affidavit. — Mike Frialde, Michael Punongbayan