'Messenger' tells Estradas: Arroyo wants guilty verdict

(Updated 4:46 p.m.) After accusing Malacañang of funding full-page newspaper ads on the plunder case against him, the family of former President Joseph Estrada on Thursday alleged that a "messenger" had warned that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo wants him convicted. In a news conference at the Manila Hotel, Sen. Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada claimed that the messenger told his father about Mrs Arroyo's sentiments. "In fairness the messenger did not offer any deal. The messenger is just sympathetic to my father. He just informed my father what's in the mind of Mrs Gloria Macapagal Arroyo," he said. Jinggoy added that, "With his information, it just confirmed our suspicion [that there is already a verdict]. He told us that the Sandiganbayan might decide based on the wishes of Mrs Arroyo." He refused to identify the messenger, but described this person as respected and trusted by the administration. The senator added that even the Estrada family holds this person in high esteem. "My father was saddened. He fears that that Sandiganbayan may not judge fairly the case," he said. Members of the Palayain Si Erap (Free Erap) Movement and several opposition leaders were in attendance when Jinggoy made the statement. Jinggoy is a co-accused in the six-year-old plunder case and is out on bail. Psy-war? The former president was quoted by newspaper reports as saying that the ads were a form of "mind conditioning" by the administration, since the Sandiganbayan would allegedly render a guilty verdict. The ads published Wednesday stated that the public should respect whatever decision the Sandiganbayan regarding Estrada's case. As this developed, the Estrada camp is set to file a petition before the Sandiganbayan on Friday seeking to cite in contempt the ones who funded the paid advertisements. Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, the former president's spokesman, said the advertisement preempted the Sandiganbayan and placed the institution in a bad light. Rodriguez added that they will include in the complaint all the newspapers that published the ad to compel them to submit records pertaining to their transaction with the Mahal Ko ang Pilipinas (I Love the Philippines). He said this might result in identifying the members of the group. "But I think the group used an agency, because many entities do that," he said in Filipino. Big bucks Rodriguez, however, took notice that the ad that came out on the Philippine Daily Inquirer differed from others. "In the Inquirer, the message was clear that the court had not yet rendered a decision. Other papers went on as if the Sandiganbayan already made the decision," he added. Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, president of the United Opposition, who was also present at the press conference, estimated the whole advertising cost reached about P1 million. "It came out in big newspapers and full-page ads cost about P200,000. So for the five publications, that is equivalent to about P1 million. It's no joke to spend that kind of money," he said in Filipino. A new leaf For his part, Sen. Francis Escudero appealed to the media to help identify the personalities behind the paid ad for the sake of "transparency and truth in advertisement." "Who is really behind these ads? Their motive should be made known to the public," Escudero said. Rodriguez said Estrada was hoping that the court will still decide "based only on facts and evidence at hand." Meanwhile, former vice president Teofisto Guingona, who delivered the "I accuse the president" speech which sparked the Estrada impeachment trial in 2000, said deposed leader was already a changed man. "He's been down for more than five years. He found a new life in his own private life. Let freedom be … give justice to Erap," said Guingona. - GMANews.TV