Sandiganbayan grants Estrada 9-hour New Year pass

The Sandiganbayan has granted former President Joseph Estrada a nine-hour furlough to welcome New Year’s Day with his ailing mother.

In a two-page resolution, the Special Division of the anti-graft court allowed Estrada a nine-hour pass, denying his earlier request for a three-day leave to celebrate New Year outside his rest house in Tanay, Rizal where he is placed under house arrest.

The court allowed Estrada to go on leave from 8 a.m. and proceed to the residence of his mother Doña Mary Ejercito in Kennedy Street at North Greenhills Subdivision on New Year’s Day.

The court ordered the Sandiganbayan’s Sheriff’s Office and the Security and Protection Office (SPO) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to escort the former president back to his rest house at 5 p.m.

The Special Division allowed the argument made by the PNP citing the lack of personnel in securing Estrada as it would coincide with the security preparations ahead of the 12th ASEAN summit to be held in Cebu in the second week of January.

Government lawyers led by Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio earlier opposed Estrada’s request for a three-day furlough.

While it allowed Estrada to spend New Year’s Day in his mother’s residence, the court ordered the PNP and the Sandiganbayan Sheriff’s Office to monitor all his visitors.

The court also reminded the PNP to strictly monitor the use of cell phones and communication devices in and near the Estrada matriarch’s residence during the nine-hour furlough.

The Sandiganbayan also ordered a strict implementation of the no-interview rule on Estrada.

Estrada, through his lawyer former senator Rene Saguisag, asked the court Thursday for a three-day leave from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2 and spend New Year’s eve at his mother’s house.

Estrada’s spokesman, former immigration commissioner Rufus Rodriguez said Estrada nonetheless wanted to thank the Sandiganbayan and the PNP for allowing him to visit his ailing mother even for nine hours.

"But he would have wanted to be granted a 24-hour pass and spend media noche with his family," Rodriguez said.

Estrada was also allowed a nine-hour pass by the Sandiganbayan on Christmas Day though he had asked for a 10-day furlough.

In the same case, the anti-graft court allowed the argument of the PNP that it does not have enough manpower to provide ample security for the former president in his visit to his mother.