Estrada, The Trial, The Waiting, And Now The Verdict
The Joseph Erap Estrada plunder case, which was the basis for the 2001 “People Power”, the ensuing trial that dragged on for six years, and the politics behind the trial, is almost coming to an end. The verdict for the P4 Billion Plunder Case against the former president will be on Wednesday, September 12.
Malacañang seems to be in an “atmosphere of paranoia” when it comes to the Estrada verdict. They have already sent out 6000 police and military men two days before the actual verdict itself. There has been reports of a planned assassination plot against Erap as well. And amidst all this hoopla, Arroyo has declared September 12 as National Day of Prayers. Yeah, she better say her prayers alright.
It’s simple really, we don’t need to be experts in the Estrada Trial to know what the outcomes will mean. It’s a lose-lose situation for President Arroyo. If Estrada is convicted, she has to face the wrath of the millions of poor masses who see Estrada as their only hope and whose protests could lead to an even larger fiasco, and thus we see the paranoia in the administration’s deployment of 6000 police and military forces.
If Estrada is acquitted, then bye bye legitimacy for Gloria, because the very case that landed her into Malacañang, will be the very case that questions her legitimacy. Indeed if Erap is acquitted and found not guilty, then we have to ask ourselves, who’s the real president now? Well, not that we haven’t been asking this question ever since 2004 in what we now know as the “Hello Garci” scandal.
But really, we all know what the outcome will be. Erap will probably be convicted, there will be a massive amount of protests, and a “reconciliation” card being dealt from the Arroyo Administration.
tags: estrada trial, joseph erap estrada
Nick, must you be so precise and accurate in stating the paranoia and predicament of Ate Glue?
The Sandigan denial of KBP’s appeal for an open coverage indicates their apprehension of its negative verdict that will enflame the rallying supporters. The wall of container vans around the Palace might linger for some time.
I look forward to your “reconciliation” scenario.
Hi Nick, sorry for not visiting often as I am immersed in a new project. My wife and I are tutoring public school students. I stealing time to blog as the students use my pc for their reports and research.
A dismissal would raise questions of legitimacy for Gloria’s ascension to power in 2001 and a conviction would say that the court was pressured to legitimize Gloria’s claim to the presidency. Any way I look at it, its a lose-lose situation for GMA and could even project Erap as a martyr of sorts.
I am all for seeking justice and I hope the verdict would be one based on merits and not political considerations. Please give time so I can add my voice to the Mendez case.
[…] Or, as The Philippine Experience puts it, maybe it’s a colossal case of political karma. Tingog.com suggests unease is fostered by the case being lose-lose for the administration; I myself am more […]
My thoughts exactly! He will be convicted, but there’s going to be something up their sleeves. Reconciliation? Reduced sentence? Special treatment? Who knows? I think he will be convicted, because Gloria might survive the wrath of the masses, but she might not survive the repercussions of an acquittal, since there is doubt about her legitimacy, an acquittal will solidify and confirm it.
I’ve visited the Philippines on a number of occasions. What I saw there was a culture of corruption. You might convict one or two blatantly corrupt officials, but until you all–as a nation–teach good moral character, corruption will flourish at all levels. This corruption at all levels is what keeps the PI so poor (the only thing keeping the economy afloat are the Filipinos working abroad sending money home). American friends of mine have tried to start businesses there, but everyone from the town mayor, police, and up want bribes–and they’re like flies on Sh*&–they keep coming back for more! Then their employees kept stealing everything not nailed down. When we visited the PI, we couldn’t even leave our hotel in Manila without our driver being pulled over by corrupt police officers (our drivers did nothing wrong) who demanded bribes or they would arrest our driver (for nothing!). This happens daily. It is very sad how totally corrupt things are over there–it’s even sadder that Filipinos accept all this corruption as “normal” behavior.