Erap fails to get court pass to visit ailing mom

Former President Joseph Estrada failed to secure a three-day special pass from the Sandiganbayan to spend All Saints’ Day today with his ailing mother.

The Sandiganbayan’s Special Division was supposed to issue a resolution on his request yesterday, but failed to do so after the Philippine National Police (PNP), which has custody of the former leader, filed its comment late yesterday.

It was also learned from court staff members that two justices of the three-member Special Division were absent, apparently preparing for the observance of the holiday. Staff members declined to identify who among the three magistrates comprising the Special Division were absent.

The Special Division is composed of Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro as presiding justice, with Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta and Rodolfo Ponferrada as members.

Ponferrada, a member of the Fourth Division is temporarily assigned to the Special Division as its regular member, Associate Justice Francisco Villaruz is the US.

The PNP, in its comment over Estrada’s three-day furlough, said they should be given more time to make the necessary security arrangements for the former president.

On the other hand, the prosecution panel led by Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio, said they are not opposing Estrada’s request.

However, they asked the court to limit Estrada’s furlough to just one day.

"Three days is very long," Villa-Ignacio said. "The court should limit his visit to just one day. Ever since, we have not objected to his (Estrada’s) requests to visit his mother."

The Sandiganbayan Special Division is expected to issue its resolution on Estrada‘s request on Nov. 2.

In a two-page motion filed through his lawyer, former senator Rene Saguisag, Estrada wanted to be with his mother Doña Mary Ejercito at their ancestral home in Greenhills, San Juan. Doña Mary is already 102 years old.

Estrada wanted to be with his mother starting noon today and return to his resthouse in Tanay by the afternoon of Nov. 3.

Estrada, however, did not indicate in his motion if he intends to spend his furlough at his house on Polk Street or at his nearby mother’s house on Kennedy street.

In his motion, Estrada said he wanted to take the opportunity to confer with his lawyers to finalize their final offer of evidence in his plunder and perjury cases before the anti-graft court.

In the same motion, the 69-year-old Estrada thanked the Sandiganbayan’s Special Division and the prosecution panel for not opposing his wishes to visit his ailing mother on weekends.