Erap scoffs at story he was behind Villar's ouster

MANILA, Philippines – Former President Joseph Estrada denied yesterday that he had masterminded the ouster of former Senate president Manuel Villar Jr.

Speaking over radio station dzBB, Estrada said: “Why are they blaming me? I don’t even talk to any administration senator, so why do they blame me?”

Estrada said his son, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, sought his advice on the matter, but he did not influence his son, who made the decision himself.

“I always told him that it is up to him,” he said.

Estrada said new Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is ideal to lead the Senate because of his experience as a lawmaker.

“We became close during my stint as a senator because we were the only opposition senators back then,” he said, referring to the first post EDSA I elections in 1987 as members of the now defunct Grand Alliance for Democracy.

“He continuously supported and defended me during my impeachment trial. He is also a member of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino party.”

On the other hand, Enrile defended Estrada and President Arroyo from allegations that they were influential in the ouster of Villar.

“The former President Erap has nothing to do with what happened in this chamber with respect to change in leadership, neither has the Palace or anybody in the Palace had anything to do with it,” he said.

Enrile said the leadership change was “purely an internal act” of the senators and warned those sowing intrigue that outsiders were behind Villar’s ouster.

“So those who are surmising or speculating or intriguing that outsiders influenced the events in this Senate, my advice to you is stop the intrigue, do not create confusion otherwise we will tell you to go somewhere else,” he said.

Enrile was responding to the privilege speech of Jinggoy denying a news report that his father was behind Villar’s removal as Senate president.

Earlier, Enrile said he does not see how Estrada could have played a hand in the leadership change at the Senate.

“To be fair to the former president, he has nothing to do with this effort,” he said.

“I can assure you that he has no hand in his issue. Malacañang has no hand in the changes in the Senate.

“There was no external influence involved. If there was, you could have known it before it happened. Even I was surprised when they presented the resolution ousting Villar.”

In his privilege speech, Jinggoy took exception to a news report quoting an administration senator that his father had a hand in Villar’s ouster.

“Mr. President, whoever this senator is, we should respect his suspicion but this does not mean that is true,” he said.

“In fact, Mr. President, I would have not joined the sudden removal of Senator Villar as president if it were for another senator.”

Jinggoy said he talked with his father Sunday night and informed him of the plot to replace Villar with Enrile.

He also informed the former president of his decision Monday morning, he added.

Jinggoy said Enrile showed “steadfast support” for him and his father at the height of the impeachment trial in 2001.

“Senate President Enrile’s friendship with my family goes a long way and even beyond political relationship. As a matter of fact, during the infamous impeachment of President Estrada, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile was one friend who remained steadfast and was unwavering in his support for my father,” he said.

“I believe that Senate President Enrile is not only capable to guide this chamber’s new direction because of his wide and varying experiences in government, but can in fact lead this august chamber to the excellence that we dream of.”

Meanwhile, Estrada said yesterday Jinggoy voted to install Enrile as Senate president as a “debt of gratitude.”

Speaking over radio dzRH, Estrada said his family has a debt of gratitude to Enrile because he had consistently defended them when he and Jinggoy were in jail.

“My son is just repaying a debt of gratitude,” he said.

“Imagine, Jinggoy was jailed for two years although he is innocent. Senator Enrile has been defending us even when we were still in jail.”

“He was my staunch defender during my impeachment trial.”

Estrada said Enrile was among the few senators who had consistently defended him during the impeachment trial.

“We (Enrile and himself) have been very close, having been the only opposition during my stint as a senator,” he said.

Erap to run if…

Estrada said yesterday he would run in the 2010 presidential elections should the opposition fail to support a single candidate.

“We must learn from the lesson of the 2004 presidential elections,” he said.

“FPJ ran and Senator (Panfilo) Lacson, Senator (Raul) Roco also ran. The votes were divided and they were easily cheated.

“We (opposition) must have only one presidential candidate to ensure the victory of the opposition. That will be my last option.

“I will definitely run if they will not unite behind a single presidential candidate.”

Estrada said that he is overjoyed by the continuous support accorded to him by the Filipino people.

“That is the reason why I am conducting the rounds all over the country,” he said.

“When I was still in jail, my wife, Dra. Loi, and my son, Jinggoy, both ran for senator and they voted for them.

“I know that their vote was given for their support for me. They voted for them because of me. That is why I told myself that I will conduct the rounds all over the country to thank my supporters for voting for Dra. Loi and Jinggoy.” – Jose Rodel Clapano, Christina Mendez