CABANATUAN CITY – Genuine Opposition
senatorial candidate Loren Legarda on Thursday expressed
regret for her role in the aborted impeachment trial of
President Joseph Estrada last December 2000.
"Nagsisisi po kami na nandun sa Edsa 2.
Hindi po sana nangyari yun kung nabuksan lamang ang ‘second
envelope’ I just did my job as a senator-judge," she said.
Legarda was among those who voted to open
the second envelope. The vote was 11-10 against opening the
second envelope, prompting the prosecution team to walk out.
The prosecution said the envelope
supposedly contained bank documents that showed over P1
billion in deposits of Estrada with Equitable PCI-Bank under
the name of Jose Velarde.
The envelope subsequently was found to
contain a letter of request by Jaime Dichaves to Romualdo Dy
Tang, Equitable PCI-Bank senior vice president and treasurer,
on Aug. 25, 1999 that he be allowed to open an account in the
name of Jose Velarde.
Legarda said had the second envelope been
opened, "maybe he (Estrada) managed to finish his term and
there had been a closure in the impeachment trial
proceedings."
Legarda echoed calls for the speedy
resolution of Estrada’s plunder case.
"To be fair to President Erap there must be
speedy justice. That case has been pending for six years. He
had been detained for six years and yet there is no
resolution."
She added: "But that is not the only issue
that needs to be afforded justice. Also, all those who have
been involved in anomalies in government – the fertilizer fund
scam, those involved in electoral fraud – what happened to
those cases?"
Legarda said the on-going campaign is more
difficult than her vice presidential bid in 2004, especially
when it comes to campaign contributions.
"Sa presidential may resources ka, at
buntot ka lang ng buntot sa presidente. Ngayon kasi
kanya-kanya at mas mahirap ang pera, magastos," said Legarda.
She told the Nueva Ecija Press Club at De Luxe restaurant
that she would push for the passage of Journalists Welfare
Protection Act which seeks, among other things,
de-criminalization of libel. – JP Lopez and Jojo de
Guzman
