Allow law to take its course on Estrada

MANILA: The Philippine court on Monday ordered the arrest of deposed President Joseph Estrada for graft and corruption and perjury. As this was being written Estrada was expected to show up in court to post bail and avoid arrest. About 300 of his supporters were holding vigil at his house at North Greenhills, but there has been no violent reaction to the arrest order so far.

What is expected to raise problems is a forthcoming court order for Estrada's arrest and detention on a charge of plunder. Plunder is a capital offense and Estrada cannot post bail to obtain temporary liberty.

Opposition leaders and candidates have said that if he were arrested and detained, revolution or civil war would break out or rioting would take place in the streets. They also said Estrada's arrest would result in an overwhelming opposition victory in the senatorial election next month.

Why should there be a revolution or a civil war or rioting in the streets to protest the lawful arrest of a former leader who is facing serious criminal charges, including the capital offense of plunder? Do the opposition leaders think so low of the masses that they believe they will take up arms to support someone who may be proven to be a grafter, thief and plunderer?

So far, the Filipino people have risen up in violent revolutions and peaceful revolts in support of big causes like freedom from foreign oppression or liberation from repressive and corrupt dictators and presidents.

Yet now the opposition would have us believe that the masses will rise up to protest the arrest of a deposed president against whom an overwhelming amount of evidence of graft and plunder was presented during the Senate impeachment trial.

Some administration officials may fear the prediction of the opposition that Estrada's arrest will lessen the chances of winning of the People Power Coalition candidates. The administration officials should entertain no such fear. If ever, the impact of Estrada's arrest will be on the opposition ticket, not on the administration slate.

It would be a different thing if trumped-up charges were being brought against Estrada. Then the people would have a basis to say that he is being persecuted and they would have a reason to stage nationwide protests. But nothing of the sort is being done against him. The charges are backed by evidence.

The former president will be accorded due process and all his rights as an accused will be protected.

Now, for the first time in the country's history, a former president will be arrested and brought to trial. Now, something is being done by the judicial system to mete out justice to a leader accused of dipping his fingers into the national treasury. And yet the opposition would have us believe that the very same people -- the victims of some leader's graft and plunder -- would protest the dispensation of justice in this case.

Let the opposition leaders and candidates air all their dire warnings. The government should not be deterred by the dark scenarios being painted by these people to prevent the arrest and detention of the biggest fish ever to be netted by the country's judicial system. The Macapagal administration, in enforcing the law, should be prepared to face the risks that the opposition is warning of. It should not be cowed by threats that have no legal basis

But the Macapagal administration has to be prepared for trouble. Already, there are reports that Estrada plans to use the Kuratong Baleleng Group, a notorious kidnap-for-ransom and robbery gang, and paramilitary forces to resist arrest. The police will have to be prepared for this possibility.

The administration also has to take measures to ensure that the very same money that Estrada is alleged to have stolen will not be used to stir up trouble. Money was used in People Power II to produce instant pro-Estrada demonstrations.

Money can buy peaceful demonstrators; it can also buy goons and hooligans who can undertake violent actions under the direction of pro-Estrada city and town officials.

South Korea was able to arrest, detain, try and imprison Roh Tae-woo and Chun Doo-hwan, two former presidents, for mutiny, treason and corruption. Former Chilean strongman Augusto Pinochet is under house arrest on homicide and kidnapping charges. Former President Slobodan Milosevic of Yugoslavia was arrested recently to face corruption charges.

Other countries have been able to arrest, detain and prosecute former leaders for grave crimes. We can do no less in the Philippines. The law should be allowed to take its course. Let the government arrest and detain Estrada, and let his trial begin.

-- Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network