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Saturday, March 08, 2003
Jinggoy gets hero's welcome in San Juan
By Joshua Dancel and She Caguimbal-Torres
MANILA -- Yellow ribbons, lively faces and family members welcomed former San Juan Mayor Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada at the Pinaglabanan Church in San Juan in a thanksgiving mass immediately after his release from police custody.
Jinggoy, a co-defendant of deposed President Joseph Estrada was released on bail Friday, leaving his father in detention in a military hospital nearly two years into their landmark corruption trial.
"I have mixed feelings. I am very happy and yet sad because I'll be out on bail while my father President Joseph Estrada and Attorney Edward Serapio still languish in jail," Jinggoy said ina statement.
The Sandiganbayan, a special anti-graft court, on Thursday allowed Jinggoy to post a cash bail of P500,000 for his provisional liberty.
The court ruled on Thursday that the evidence against the younger Estrada was "highly speculative", and ruled he was not a likely flight risk.
Jinggoy arrived at the Sandiganbayan past one Friday afternoon to post bail and signed a waiver of appearance. From the court he proceeded to the Pinaglabanan Church for the thanksgiving mass.
From the church, Jinggoy visited his grandmother, Dona Mary Ejercito.
An overjoyed, teary-eyed Senator Loi Estrada welcomed his son and said that finally the blind lady of justice saw her son beyond how everyone perceived him and was granted to post bail.
"I know there is still justice," Estrada told an interview Friday when asked how she felt that her son gained his temporary freedom.
Estrada said the Sandiganbayan's decision was an unexpected one because she felt that her family would not be able to get a fair trial in a court where the presiding justice was an appointee of the President Arroyo.
However, she admitted that deep in her heart she knew that somehow justice would prevail. "Although it took quite a while for justice to see him fairly, it still came and we are happy about it," she said.
Even the former president was happy on the latest development, saying justice still works somehow.
The senator, however, did not say whether or not her jailed husband has changed his view on due process.
In any case, she said, the family has God to thank for Jinggoy's freedom temporary as it is.
"We just hope the same thing would happen to President Estrada," she said.
An ally in the senate, Senator Edgardo Angara said the granting of bail was "long overdue" for Jinggoy.
"Jinggoy really is an incidental thing (in the plunder case). I think that is a very marginal involvement, receiving one check from Chavit (Singson), and he should have been released a long time ago on bail," Angara said.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel, meanwhile, praised Sandiganbayan presiding Justice Menita Nazario.
"They deserve the people's applause because this is a victory of justice over passion despite their appointments by the President," Pimentel said.
The former president, who was toppled in a military-backed popular revolt in January 2001, is accused of plundering up to 80 million dollars during his 30 months in office. He could face the death sentence if convicted.
His son was charged as accessory to plunder, allegedly as collector of protection money paid by operators of illegal numbers rackets.
The lawyer Eduardo Serapio, who is in police custody, allegedly set up dummy charity foundations to receive kickbacks.
Palace on Jinggoy's release
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Friday that Malacaņang would respect the decision of the Sandiganbayan to grant Estrada bail for his temporary release.
Bunye said the posting of bail is part of due process.
He added the Sandiganbayan knows its job and thoroughly studied the request of Estrada before it finally decided to approve his petition. (SunnexLuzon)
(March 8, 2003 issue)
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