The Corruption and Ouster of
RP President Joseph Estrada

Apr 01
Unity Statement: Truth and Justice Must Prevail in the Estrada Plunder Case
By Plunder Watch

As the nation enters a new phase in its political life with the trial of ousted president Joseph Estrada and his co-accused for the crime of plunder, we, groups and individuals who took part in People Power II, reiterate our commitment to the cause of truth and justice in our land.

There is a need to ceaselessly pursue these twin aspirations in the wake of efforts by pro-Estrada forces and opportunist politicians to reverse the gains of People Power II. The May 1 power grab attempt, plus the significant showing of pro-Estrada candidates in the recent elections, have already caused President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to backtrack on her earlier stand against house arrest and other special privileges for Estrada. We fear what other compromises there might be in the works.

We are also worried that the initial steps taken by the Office of the Ombudsman appear to have imperiled the cases against Estrada et. al. We wonder, are these simple errors or telltale signs of a sellout?

Just like the President, we, too, want reconciliation and healing. But these can not be accomplished unless swift and impartial justice is first meted out on those who plundered the nation and caused so much corruption, suffering and division in our land. The thousands of martial law victims who have yet to see their tormentors punished, and who are now being used as pawns in the sickening scramble for Marcos' ill-gotten wealth, provide a stark reminder to what could happen if we take it easy on Estrada.

The formal arrest, prosecution and eventual conviction of Estrada merely brings to its logical conclusion the people's verdict handed down last January 20, 2001, when Estrada was ousted through a popular uprising. We expect Malacañang, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan to do no less than render swift and impartial justice in this case.

In particular, we demand the following:

1. The conviction of Estrada and his cronies and seizure of their ill-gotten wealth.

2. The denial of house arrest or any form of special privilege for Estrada and his co-accused.

3. Public attendance to and live, tri-media coverage of the trials.

In pursuit of these demands and in the spirit of People Power II, we stand united and shall continue to exert all efforts to educate, organize and mobilize our countrymen.





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