Wednesday, September 12, 2007 ‘Erap must serve sentence if convicted’ By Gil Alfredo B. Severino
ROBERTO Montelibano, Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) president, disclosed that if the former president will be convicted, he has to serve time until pardoned.
He stressed, however, “It may not look good for foreign investors that the Philippines does not convict big fishes and only the small guys get caught.”
MBCCI Executive Director Jose Maria Zayco is saying a similar thing, disclosing that if Estrada will be convicted, he shall serve until any offer of freedom is extended.
“Government should be serious in catching plunderers and business will see better days. If not, we will look like ‘clowns’ to everyone,” Zayco added.
But progressive group Bayan-Negros secretary general Felipe Gelle claimed the conviction of Estrada in his case would not translate to justice because “it is based on the narrow interest of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to stay in power and not to stop plunder.”
“Whether the verdict is guilty or not, it is not serving justice. A conviction of Erap is not deterring plunder by corrupt politicians. GMA is worse than Erap,” Gelle said.
Gelle further said criminal prosecution must be achieved more than the issue of conviction. It must stop the culture of corruption, as he added that “Erap’s case reflect the carrot and stick tactics of GMA.”
The Supreme Court (SC) decided Tuesday to allow a limited live media coverage of the promulgation of the P4-billion plunder case against the Estradas and their lawyer Ed Serapio.
In a resolution reached unanimously following an en banc session, the high court partially granted the motion of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) through its president Butch Canoy to allow media coverage of the Sandiganbayan’s promulgation of the case.
The consent, however, was subject to several conditions, such that only the video camera of the SC-Public Information Office shall be allowed inside the courtroom and it will operated only by its personnel.
