oseph Estrada surely must
be dying to leave his detention quarters in Tanay, Rizal. Who wouldn’t? His old
vacation house does not lack of creature comforts. But when all is said and
done, the fact remains he is a prisoner there. His visitors are restricted. He
can’t be with his ailing mother. He can’t leave the place, even if only for an
hour, without leave of the Sandiganbayan.
Still he is probably bemused by all this talk about him being
released on the recognizance of a religious leader or a high government
official. He has repeatedly heard the same line before every time the Arroyo
administration was under siege. This time the Arroyo administration is facing a
rout in the May mid-term elections. So it is trying to pull off the same trick.
Erap may not have a PhD in Economics, but he has a finely
honed political instinct. He knows the efforts to have him temporarily released
are a political ploy. We’re sure he will not be a party to another deception
foisted on the people.
It’s too late in the day to talk about provisional liberty
for Erap. In a few months he will be marking his sixth year under detention. He
has borne his detention with dignity. In a few months, possibly weeks, his
temporary liberty will be a moot issue.
His trial has ended. It is now up to the Sandiganbayan to
rule on his guilt or innocence. If he is found innocent, that’s it. He leaves
his detention quarters a free man, courtesy of no deal struck sub rosa but as
demanded by justice.
If he is found guilty, this vindictive administration will
haul him off to Muntinlupa where he will languish, possibly for the rest of his
life if the Supreme Court rules against his appeal.
As we said, Estrada is no fool. He knows that his case is
political. He could have easily spared himself from jail had he agreed to go on
exile following Gloria Arroyo’s power grab. He chose to stay. And to jail he was
marched off by the administration in April 2001.
There’s a good chance Estrada will beat the plunder rap. The
prosecutors’ case hinges on the testimony of Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit"
Singson, not exactly a credible and disinterested witness. The Sandiganbayan
might, just might rule on the evidence and law.
Ultimately, however, his vindication will have to come from
the people. The current public sentiment is in his favor. Gloria has so lost her
credibility that the predominant sentiment is that Erap was a victim of a
conspiracy.
The May 2007 elections may well mark the start of Estrada’s vindication.
There’s no sense in him rising to the poisoned bait of temporary liberty by
recognizance being dangled by the administration.
