Sandiganbayan: Erap can visit mom on weekends

The Sandiganbayan granted yesterday the request of detained former President Joseph Estrada to visit his ailing 102-year-old mother Doña Mary Ejercito every week.

The graft court, however, clarified that Estrada can visit his mother "only on the specific date, time, place and conditions as may be designated by the court."

Presiding Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro and Justices Diosdado Peralta and Rodolfo Ponferrada of the Sandiganbayan Special Division stated in their two-page resolution that they can grant Estrada’s request only on specific dates.

The justices issued the ruling after government prosecutors, led by Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa Ignacio, did not made any objection to Estrada’s request, but only if there is a "specific motion" for the purpose, everytime the need to visit arises.

Estrada, who is detained at his resthouse in Tanay, Rizal, should file the necessary motions and submit them to the anti-graft court so that security arrangements can be made. He is facing a P4.1-billion plunder case, a non-bailable offense.

"The court grants Estrada’s prayer to visit his ailing mother but only on the specific date, time, place and conditions, as may be designated by the court, after an appropriate motion for each visit is filed," the Sandiganbayan ruled.

Through his lawyers, Estrada asked the court last week to allow him weekly visits to his mother.

Estrada suggested that he leave his detention facility every Friday evening and return every Sunday afternoon.

Estrada, 69, said he wants to "maximize the time" he could be with his mother, who lives on Kennedy street in North Greenhills subdivision in San Juan, which is just near his house on No. 1 Polk St. in the same posh subdivision.

Defense lawyer Rene Saguisag said Estrada is worried about Doña Mary, who is "badly ill" according to family doctor Lorenzo Hocson. "That’s why he wants to see her on a regular basis. Her condition is deteriorating. She’s 102 so I guess you don’t have to draw a picture."

Hocson, director of the San Juan Medical Center, disclosed that Doña Mary is bedridden and cannot eat properly. "Her mental status has progressively deteriorated," he said in the medical certificate, which Saguisag attached to the motion he filed at the Sandiganbayan.

"Lastly, there is always the imminent risk of rupture of the abdominal aneurysm which invariably would be fatal." For the last three years, she has been in and out of hospital because of recurring bouts of pneumonia, the latest of which was last Aug. 11.

She also has repeated bouts of urinary tract infection. On top of these, she was diagnosed to have abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Estrada was allowed several times in the past by the Special Division to visit his ailing mother and it is the only motion of the defense panel that government prosecutors did not oppose.

The last time Estrada saw his mother was when she celebrated her 102nd birthday last May 2, which was held at the former president’s residence in North Greenhills.