Manila (AsiaNews) - The Anti-Graft Court granted former President Joseph Estrada, presently detained atCamp Capinpin in Tanay on the outskirts of Manila, a 36-hour pass to visit his 98-year old mother, Mary Macelo-Ejercito, at the San Juan Medical Center. Estrada is being charged of plunder, among others charges, and has been detained for nearly three years now.
His visitation privileges which were allowed for 'humanitarian considerations', began at 5 o'clock am March 19th and finished at 5 o'clock in the afternoon March 20th. Estrada was not permitted to leave the hospital during the 36 hours. Hundreds of Estrada's followers crowded at the hospital, waiting for the former president's appearance on the morning of the 20th. His son, Jinggoy, presently campaigning as Senator in Mindanao, flew into Manila to see his father "on free foot." [Estrada's wife is already a Senator.]When Archbishop Oscar Cruz of Lingayen-Dagupan, former president of the Philippine Bishops' Conference, was asked for an opinion on the pass given to Estrada, he answered: "I am torn between two loves. I am torn in the sense that the love for justice says that the law should be equal for everybody. The punishmentshould be equal for everybody, the treatment of accused persons should be for everybody, which is thelaw. That is the principle of justice."But my heart is also with compassion. I understand that the (former) president is 'hurting' ( he has aserious knee sickness) and his mother is not getting well. But we should also be attentive to other prisoners who are also languishing in jail, who have not yet been proven guilty for lesser crimes and cannot avail of the services of able physicians but may not go out of prison legitimately for whatever reason."To me, since justice should be fair to all, so compassion should be fair to all!" Archbishop Cruz said.(S.E.)
