Estrada loyalist released from jail

An staunch supporter of jailed president Joseph Estrada, facing rebellion charges for allegedly leading the May 1 siege at Malacañang, was released from the Manila City Jail yesterday after posting a bail bond of P300,000.

Ronald Lumbao, leader of the People’s Movement Against Poverty (PMAP), received temporary liberty a day after Manila Judge Reynaldo Alhambra of Regional Trial Court Branch 53 granted the former’s petition for bail.

Superintendent Rogelio Paguluran, warden of the Manila City Jail, said Lumbao was met by his wife Liza and legal counsel JV Bautista, along with several friends at around 2:30 p.m.

The PMAP leader has been locked up at Cell No. 4 for more than a year now after he was arrested in Novaliches, Quezon City on April 25, 2002 by police armed with a warrant of arrest for rebellion.

With the granting of bail, Lumbao is a free man while the court weighs the evidence presented by the prosecution and defense on the rebellion charges against him.

In granting the petition, Alhambra pointed out that "the court finds the evidence of the prosecution inconclusive to the crime charged."

Lumbao is charged with rebellion for allegedly provoking some 20,000 Estrada supporters who had been holding a vigil at the EDSA Shrine since April 25, 2001 to attack Malacañang Palace on May 1.

Authorities said the attack was intended to unseat President Arroyo and reinstate Estrada. The ensuing riot, which left four persons dead, was contained by elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Presidential Security Group (PSG).