ERAP: Guilty of Not Guilty? Kailangan bang may gulo?
July 5th, 2007 Shobe_ceo
Last Wednesday (July 4, 2007), full-page ads with heading “ERAP: Guilty or Not Guilty? Kailangan bang may gulo?” were released to the public, allegedly Malacañang’s way of conditioning the people’s mindset as to the expected conviction of the former President Ejercito Estrada.
ERAP was accused of pocketing millions of pesos from the tobacco excise tax and jueteng kickbaks last January 2001, leading to his being oust as President of the Philippines. The said plunder case has been pending for almost six (6) years now and is nearing its end. The Sandiganbayan has three (3) months, until September of this year, to render their judgment on ERAP’s plunder case.
Last mid-June, the final oral arguments between the prosecution, thru S.P. Villa Ignacio (my well professor in Criminal Law), and the defense took place, putting an end to the trial of the said case. Now, while waiting for the decision of the Sandiganbayan, the said full-page ads came out and according to ERAP’s side are the present government’s propaganda to condition the people to whatever will be the outcome of the trial.
Ferdie Ramos, Estrada’s media officer, said that besides the Malacañang, no other personality or organizations is interested to releasing such costly full-page ads. He also asserts that such advertisements seek to prevent a repeat of the massive rallies protesting Estrada’s arrest last April 2001.
On the other hand, Executice Secretary Eduardo Ermita said that the administration is stable and well prepared to deal with the possible effects of either acquittal or conviction of Estrada.
While as a commentary, Former Commission on Elections chairman Christian Monsod said that the passion for protests or revolts by the mass have died down as all wounds would heal through time. And that any decision that shall be rendered regarding ERAP’s plunder case would less likely result to the same mass protest as what occurred in EDSA DOS.
Well, no matter what the outcome may be, the Philippines only hope for this case to finally be resolved in accordance with law and that the country may once again stand united from this national disaster. Finality of this case has been long due and no matter what the decision may be, let’s all just hope that it be the just and rightful decision.
Entry Filed under: Atenista, For the Mind, Life of Law, Philippine Cases, Philippines, Shobe_CEO
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