Erap conviction seen as a case of selective prosecution
by Czeriza Valencia
Former Malaysian deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim yesterday said the conviction of former President Joseph Estrada is “an issue in selective prosecution (in) the midst of pervasive corruption.”
Anwar is keynote speaker of the 2nd World Forum for Democracy in Asia biennial conference at the Sofitel Plaza Hotel.
Anwar, a close friend of Estrada, said the verdict was “harsh” because the prosecution was selective. He said he believed, however, that the trial “contained pertinent issues of law.”
He said he has requested the Philippine government to allow him to see Estrada “to say hello” and to “wish him well.”
The government has not acted on his request. Neither has he been invited to call on President Arroyo in Malacañang.
In his address, Anwar thanked the political personalities who supported him in his three-year political imprisonment in Malaysia.
He thanked Estrada, former President Corazon Aquino, the late senator Blas Ople and Speaker Ramon Mitra, Speaker Jose de Venecia, and Sen. Eduardo Angara. These personalities, he said, “mobilized moral support” in his “fight against tyranny and oppression in Malaysia.”
“I wish to mention my gratitude to President Joseph Estrada who remained a true friend. I may be touching a raw nerve but please bear with me when I say that I do wish and pray that he will one day be really free,” he said.
“Coming back to the Philippines, with her impressive track record in the struggle for freedom and democracy, the very citadel of people powering every sense of the word, I find myself of two minds: last week’s conviction of President Estrada by the Supreme Court, for example, has been touted by some as pure victory for the Philippine justice system. This is said to be a landmark case which shows that even a big fish can be caught,” he said.
“On the other hand, there are indeed lingering doubts about the court’s independence which in turn is said to cast further doubts due to the perceived lack of resolve in strengthening institutions of governance and the issue of selective prosecution (in) the midst of pervasive corruption,” he added.
His address, titled “Asian Democracy and It’s Discontents,” sought to enumerate the missing aspects in the democratic practice of Asian countries.
He said corruption remains to be the biggest economic burden in Asia.
Anwar arrived in Manila Wednesday night and is expected to leave today.
Anwar, a charismatic and controversial political figure in his homeland, was a protégé of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad but eventually became a critic of his administration.
In 1999, he was sentenced to six years in prison for corruption and in 2000 to another nine years in prison for sodomy.
But an appeals court in 2004 reversed the second conviction and he was released.
Chief presidential legal counsel Sergio Antonio Apostol said it would be up to President Arroyo if she grants amnesty to Estrada citing the case of former US President Richard Nixon.
Nixon was granted absolute pardon by his successor Gerald Ford after he resigned in 1974 over the Watergate controversy.
Apostol said an absolute pardon or amnesty for Estrada is “possible” after the former president said that he would only accept a pardon if it is “absolute.”
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Public Affairs Committee chair Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez said only a “genuinely-intended” pardon for Estrada is morally acceptable.
The Caloocan bishop expressed skepticism over the pardon being pushed by both administration and opposition. “Parang puno ng political motivations.” – With Jocelyn Montemayor and Gerard Naval
Ate Glo:
You think it will help you not to let Anwar see his friend. Again your adviser needs a good old fashion spanking.
Erap,
You endured over six years, by all means do not accept anything from Gloria. Do not waste what you have already start. Consider yourself so lucky for history shall be good to you. Do not accept any thing. continue your fight after all the majority already acquited you.
At least you know that you have a friend from Malaysia.
Anwar is still considered a has been or a pariah in Malaysia politics – could be Gloria’s explanation.
I say “still” ‘a has been’ because Anwar has a fighting chance to get back on track in Malaysia politics when Najib takes over.
Am surprised that Gloria refused to talk to Anwar. Anwar has been known to be backed by the US, an asset, so in theory, they have something in common; Anwar’s being a US asset caused his downfall in Malaysia – that’s why Mahathir went down on him like a ton of bricks and charged him for a crime involving sododmy. Bit bizzare that charge of sodomy, completely burlesque in the extreme but there you are.
For the moment, Najib doesn’t want to have anything to do with Anwar but UMNO needs the muslim votes to stay on top and may use Anwar.
We’ll see.
Much as I disliked what Mahathir did to Anwar, I felt Anwar was a key distabilizing force in Malaysia at the time – Anwar was rumoured within the Malaysia political mill (and backed by evidence that can’t be divulged to the public that he was close to the CIA and therefore was endangering progress of Mahathir’s Malaysia.
If you recall, ONLY Mahathir had balls enough to freeze the Ringgit after the 1996-1997 economic meltdown in Asia. He was the only one that stood up against US interventions, meddlings, distabilization efforsts, among the leaders in Asia-Pacific.
Had it not for Mahathir’s economic foresight, Malaysia would be like the Philippines today.
Meanwhile, Anwar will need rehabilitation within Malaysia – wonder if he could achieve that before Najib reaches the top…
Mabuti na lang nasa bansa si Anwar. Why can’t he visit Erap in Tanay? Kung ang mga kaibigan ni Erap puwede ito pang dating mataas na opisyal ng Malaysia? Indeed, Anwar and Erap have many things in common. For one thing, both are victims of politics. He accurately stated that Erap’s conviction is a case of selective prosecution. True, ’cause there’s a lot more who stole bigger amounts. The Arroyos…
What are they afraid of? that Anwar and Erap will compare notes? Talaga naman!
Magkukumpara ng nota sina Anwar at Erap? Ang sagwa naman. I’m sure there’s a hidden video camera inside Erap’s cell. If I were Anwar, I would continue campaigning for Erap’s release in Malaysia and tell the Malaysians how evil this Arroyo government is.
Anwar was here in Hawaii last year, and spoke about an inside view of Malaysian politics that one would not get from newspapers except thru the grapevine. Listening to him, I got the impression that Malaysian politics under Mahathir was also dirty. Cronyism was also rampant, and the bumiputra bias was not paying the dividend it was hoped for when Malaysia embarked on that policy of favoring Malays over the Chinese and Indians.
However, the kind of politics Gloria is playing to destroy the democratic institutions is no match to the wit of Mahathir, who could not control the Malaysian judiciary. If he were like Gloria in style, Anwar would have been languishing in jail instead of going around US universities talking about “democracy,” the Malaysian way.
ibrahim anwar is a shning example of a true friend rarely found in the circle of the elites most especially politicians. reminiscing his own experience when locked up due to sodomy when erap was still in power, anwar is just giving back erap what is due him as a real person of high sense of gratitude and honor.
sa mga naging kabatakan noon ni erap, bihira ang nasa likod niya ngayon. sayang nga lamang at pumanaw na si FPJ, ang natatanging katumbas ni anwar ibrahim. walang iwanan.
“……real person WITH high sense of gratitude and honor.”
hindi rin pinayagan si erap na bisitahin si anwar ibrahim nung nakakulong siya noong 1998.
http://www.politicaljunkie.blogspot.com/2007/09/anwar-ibrahim-not-allowed-to-visit.html
It would be a terrible blunder for Erap if he avails of the pardon/amnesty being dangled to him by Gloria magnanakaw.
Anwar is an enemy of Mahatir, and the unano can afford to brush him aside because the idiot actually thinks she can be as popular and important if she shows preference and loyalty to Mahatir.
Sumasabit din ang ungas na iyan in fact kay Mahatir. Otherwise, why should she as the Malaysian solve the problem in Mindanao that should actually be treated as a domestic problem not to be meddled with by any foreign government. Hindi na nahiya ang boba!
Any pardon, in whatever form, is a disgrace to Erap and will legitimize Gloria’s power because it will be granted by Her Kakorapan!
Erap, 7 years in prison binuno mo…3 taon na lang si Gloria, maghintay ka na lang! Kakawalang dangal lalo iyang balak daw na pagtanggap sa pardon!
Akala ko ba siga si Erap. Wagdu din ba? Pardon for what? Over in Japan, ang puedeng mag-pardon sa mga nakakulong ay ang emperor lang. Bakit, anong palagay ni gaga sa sarili niya? Emperada? Hibang talaga!
Yuko,
Wala na si Mahathir sa power but of course he still has many friends and cronies in the party; the power is in the hands of UMNO, the party that elects the Prime Minister…
Gloria is cozying up with the Malaysians through Badawi not because of Mahathir but for something else… Matter of fact, she also snubbed Mahathir when the latter visited Pinas not so long ago, this year I think.
Anna,
When she attended the Asian forum here with Mahatir this year, sumabit iyan kay Mahatir after finding out that Mahatir was respected over here and got invited by Japanese government officials while in her case, kundi pa sisigawan kung sino sa embassy, hindi pa makakakuna ng invitation according to my source.