PLUNDERWATCH
People Power 2 Groups Raise Alarm over
Estrada Appeal on Plunder Law’s Constitutionality
SC Justice Kapunan’s Inhibition Sought
16 September 2001

RAISING THE ALARM that cases against former President Estrada are “in peril”, the independent watchdog Plunder Watch and private prosecutors today urged the people to join a rally on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 10:00 in front of the Supreme Court in Manila as the tribunal hears oral arguments regarding the constitutionality of the Plunder Law or Republic Act 7080 which is the basis of the charges against the ousted leader.

The group and the private prosecutors also bared that they will ask Justice Santiago Kapunan to inhibit himself from the case since a son-in-law served as one of the lawyers in the Estrada defense team during the ill-fated impeachment trial.

In a statement read by Plunder Watch convenor Behn Cervantes, the group alleged that “Estrada has taken this ultimate step in his defense because he does not wish to be tried and prosecuted for a crime defined by a law which he himself sponsored as a senator.”

“We consider this move of Estrada as a clear act of evasion. We still remember vividly how former President Estrada, during his impeachment trial, repeatedly declared his readiness to defend himself, in any court of law, against accusations that he had engaged in criminal acts to amass billions of ill-gotten wealth. That he should now question the constitutionality of the plunder law reveals his fear that the prosecution indeed has sufficient evidence to convict him,” said Plunder Watch in its statement.

The group warned that “should the Supreme Court rule that the plunder law is unconstitutional, Estrada walks away a free man. With regard to the billions he allegedly stole from the public coffers and amassed through other criminal means, at most Estrada can be charged with graft and corruption. This is a bailable offense and if we are to go by precedents, will take years to resolve. Time enough for witnesses to disappear or recant, for evidence to be destroyed or lost, for justices to be coerced or bought, and public interest on the case to be distracted or dissipated. Recovery of the ill-gotten wealth, as in the case of the ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, will be next to impossible.”

Also present during the media briefing were Dean Joselito Manalili of the UP Coalition for Urgent Reforms and Empowerment, Atty. Marichu Lambino of the lawyers’ group Ouster, Rey Asis of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines, Dr. Jojo Carabeo of doctors’ group Code Red, Sammy Malunes of Kilusang Mayo Uno, Romy Abaya of Plunder Watch-San Juan, Sr. Noemi Francisco OSB, Emmi de Jesus of Gabriela and other representatives of groups that joined People Power 2.

They were joined by Karen Tañada and Dan Songco of Kompil 2 and private prosecutors Arno Sanidad, Marie Yuviengco, Rafael Santos and Ricardo Nepomuceno.