Why Jun Yasay forgave Erap

Early this year, Feb. 15, to be exact, I nearly fell off my chair when I read the news item that Bangon Pilipinas vice-presidential candidate Perfecto “Jun” Yasay had asked Pwersa ng Masa presidential candidate Joseph “Erap” Estrada for forgiveness. Forgiveness? For what? Did Jun regret having been the principal witness in the impeachment trial against the former president who was charged with corruption and abuse of authority, for his involvement in the Stock Market BW scandal, which resulted in his hasty, absolutely unforeseen ousting from the presidency in January 2001? I’m sure a lot of readers were aghast upon reading that item, and perhaps, Jun lost not a few votes in his bid for the vice-presidency in last May’s election because of his forgiving heart.

I met Jun in the home of a mutual friend, lay pastor Mel Morales, two weeks ago, and the first thing I asked him of course was what he forgave Erap for. Jun, a rather charming, articulate lawyer who is now a partner in the Escueta & Yasay Law Firm, had my respect until last February’s incident. He smiled, and said the media report on what he told Erap was all messed up. The truth is that he asked Erap to forgive him for his having hurt his (Erap’s) feelings, but not for the sin he had committed against the Filipino people. Well, if you listened to Jun, you would forgive the media’s having misquoted him, and Jun would be back in your good graces, as he is in mine. Let me recount what Jun said.

Jun was in Davao City on Feb. 14 as one of the guests of Kingdom of Jesus Christ of Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy in the open air celebration of his church’s 25th thanksgiving service. Jun pitched in for the presidential candidate of Bangon Pilipinas, Brother Eddie C. Villanueva who could not make it to the celebration.

“It was one of the most uncomfortable moments in my life,” said Jun. “For the first time since I singly stood up and testified against the most powerful man of the Philippines on the issue of corruption and abuse of authority, which eventually led to his removal from office more than 10 years ago, I met this same person face to face, former President Joseph E. Estrada, in the Davao City event. For over an hour, I sat almost side by side with the person who had threatened to kill me for what I did. He even invoked the heavens that lightning strike me before prime time television seen by millions of Filipinos, and called me vulgar names, not to mention the curses and expletives he hurled against me before the national and international press.”

Jun was chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission from July 1995 to March 2002. He was given the EDSA People Power Federation Award for Undaunted Courage in proclaiming the truth as a key witness in the impeachment trial against Estrada.

“I had long forgiven the former president for the wrongs he did to me. But because I offended his feelings, being instrumental to his ouster from power, I also owed him an apology.

 “No, I did not owe him an apology for what I did in standing up for truth, justice and righteousness, which I will continue to do for as long as I live. And yet, like all of us, he is God’s wondrous creation. Consequently, I had to reconcile with my brother — not his sins which I continue to reject.

“ I prayed to the Lord and asked Him for deliverance from the situation I found myself in.

“Then in a still small voice He whispered saying, ‘You asked me many times before to give you the opportunity to meet this man face to face, since his political downfall so that you could apologize to him. Today I want you to be released from the burden you have been carrying for so long. I led you to this opportunity now, so go, humble yourself and make your apology public.”

Jun told me in his heart, he said: “Wait Lord, I want to make sure, please give me the signal that it is you who is speaking to me now.”

Jun was one of the last political candidates introduced and welcomed that evening so he proposed to the Lord that “if I would be asked to speak brief words of greetings ahead of the former President, then I will take it as a signal from you Dear Lord that indeed you want me to apologize to my political nemesis.” Even before Jun could proceed further he heard his name called by the program emcee indicating his turn to speak.

Jun stood up committed to speak for only two minutes. “After expressing on behalf of Brother Eddie Villanueva and Bangon Pilipinas our party greetings, I recall saying: ‘God has led me to this place, because I have long sought the opportunity of re-encountering the person whom I have hurt and offended more than 10 years ago, even as I was simply carrying out my duty and doing that which I continue to believe was right. I am also making this public apology for being so naive then in not realizing that there were other unscrupulous politicians who used me to pursue a hidden agenda to grab the powers of the presidency from you Mr. President. So that in the spirit of today’s celebration, which is also a time for love and reconciliation, I hope that you will find the heart to forgive me for hurting and offending you, and that you will also accept my offer to be my Valentine tonight.”

By saying what I did, Jun, son of a Protestant pastor, said, “God released and liberated me from the burden I was carrying all these years, and however the former President will use my apology — to suit his purposes — is his problem, not mine.”

 After Jun spoke, he approached Erap who stood up and shook his hands. So did Erap’s son, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.

I am not sure if in his heart of hearts Erap forgave Jun for causing his departure from Malacañang.

“What is clear is that I did not retract, withdraw or diminish my testimony against him during the Senate Hearings with respect to his involvement in the BW Stock Market Scandal and in his historic Impeachment Trial. I did not condone the crimes he committed and for which he was duly convicted by the Sandiganbayan, although granted absolute pardon by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“Finally, I would like to respectfully suggest, to my friend and brother Erap that he find time to kneel down for discernment and reflect in solitude about the sins and transgressions he committed against the people. He should humbly ask for their forgiveness for his acts that have damaged this nation. Only then can he truly be liberated from his crimes and mistakes and stand up before the whole world as a truly free man.”

Jun hopes that this explanation “will clear the mind of the public of their doubts as to the correctness of what I did. I continue to pray and hope that all our actions will be pleasing to God our Father who’s only Son, Jesus Christ taught us to love and forgive one another.”

*      *      *

My e-mail:[email protected]