More missile attacks from the Prosecutors - JAYWALKER by Art A. Borjal

Another nuclear bomb is expected to be detonated when the Prosecution Panel begins to present the bank records involving the P200 million allegedly deposited for the account of the Erap Muslim Youth Foundation. When was the P200 million deposit made? Who made the deposit? Note that it was also Equitable PCI Bank, as admitted by President Estrada himself, that was the depository bank for the huge amount that, according to Chavit Singson, represented jueteng collections.

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So far, what have been uncovered were the P142 million check of Jose Velarde, representing payment for the Boracay mansion in New Manila, Quezon City, and the P500 million trust investment made by Jose Velarde with William Gatchalian’s Wellex company. Still to be scrutinized, under Article 1 of the Impeachment charges against President Estrada, is the P200 million jueteng money allegedly given to the Muslim Youth Foundation. The details of this deposit are worth watching.

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Those who have inflicted the greatest harm and damage to the Estrada presidency come from Classes A, B and C. Take the initial lineup of witnesses presented by the Prosecution Panel in the Impeachment Trial of President Estrada – bank executive Clarissa Ocampo, Governor Chavit Singson, Gen. Roberto Lastimoso, secretary Emma Lim, certified public accountant Menchu Itchon, management specialist Rufo Colayco, journalist Twink Macaraig, broadcast journalist Jay Sonza, bank official Annie Ngo, and the branch managers of Equitable PCIBank. All of them come from Class ABC. And there are indications that the other witnesses to be presented by the Prosecution Panel will also come from this powerful sector of Philippine society.

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The ongoing mass actions and street marches that erupted because of the Impeachment Trial were also triggered by initiatives from Class ABC, with a big helping hand from the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. The crafting of innovative strategies, such as those aimed at mustering masa support, has been a handiwork of activists and concerned citizens who come from Class ABC. And of course, the huge resources needed to implement these mass actions have come from society’s Class A.

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I am citing this to underscore the fact that regimes are toppled by the leadership of Class A and the middle class. The political turmoil besieging the Estrada presidency is not a numbers game. It involves the minds and hearts of Class ABC, not the display of massive numbers in organized and orchestrated rallies where people are bused or handed out doleouts.

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There was a time when quiet, discreet negotiations were being held in connection with President Estrada’s resignation. One option was for Erap’s forfeiture of all his alleged visible illegally-acquired wealth, while all undisclosed wealth would be allowed to be kept by him.

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This option was soundly rejected by the moralists and cause-oriented groups. These do-gooders claimed that if this tack is taken, future political leaders would not be taught the costly lesson that they deserve. Such an option, they said, would, in fact, encourage other politicians to amass wealth illegally, by merely seeing to it that this would never be discovered.

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The Impeachment Trial has become an excellent educational tool for the people, especially those who belong to social classes C, D and E. Now, almost everyone is getting an education on what certain banking terms mean; money-laundering, savings and current accounts, combo accounts, ledgers or listahan, manager’s checks, "Pay to bearer" checks, investment, portfolio, etc.

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Many people are also learning what certain legal terminologies mean. Substantial evidence, preponderance of evidence, proof beyond reasonable doubt, materiality or relevance of evidence, subpoena, subpoena duces tecum, corporate layering, hearsay evidence, ultimate facts, direct examination, cross-examination, redirect examination, recross examination – such legal lingo is now becoming part of the common man’s vocabulary. Whenever there is a lawyer around, he is oftentimes approached and asked to give a layman’s definition of what these legal terms mean.

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Political analysts must be having a heyday analyzing why Senator Tessie Aquino-Oreta, the kid sister of national hero Ninoy Aquino, is languishing at the bottom of the popularity and trust rating surveys being conducted by prestigious public opinion polling entities. Tessie is even lower in the ratings game than Senators Ramon Revilla and Robert Jaworski.

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Apparently, Tessie has borne a heavy brunt of the negative sentiments against President Estrada. And she has no pluses – like the masa appeal of Erap – to make up for the minuses caused by her close association with the President. Unless she is able to take a different tack, aimed at resurrecting her image as a sister of Ninoy Aquino, she is bound to become merely a one-term senator. Worse, she might even be remembered merely for the P1 million balato that she got from President Erap, through Chavit Singson.

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Tessie’s public image handlers should now work overtime to formulate the strategy of altering dramatically her image. The Impeachment Trial is, at this stage, the best means to give her a facelifting. If the millions of televiewers of the Impeachment Trial begin to perceive Tessie as fair and impartial, as one no longer bound by ties of friendship with President Erap, as a senator-judge out to ferret out the truth, then that might save Tessie from being consigned into the murky dustbin of history.

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Mrs. Olga C. Ramiscal, who is ever conscious of the plight of the less fortunate in life, sent P2,000 to the Good Samaritan Foundation. And a Christian-hearted couple, who are regular donors to the GSFoundation, also lent a helping hand, by donating the amount of P3,000 on Christmas Day. The couple from Valle Verde also sent two quotable quotes, which are most appropriate during this Yuletide season. Let me share the first quotable quote, from Edgar Guest, with STAR readers:

Acquire the grateful habit,

Learn to see how blest you are,

How much there is to gladden life,

How little life to mar!

And what if rain shall fall today

And you with grief are sad;

Be grateful that you can recall

The joys that you have had.

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My e-mail address:jwalker@tri-isys.com