Estrada urged to seek forgiveness

On the eve of the Supreme Court's hearing of former President Joseph Estrada's second appeal, several senatorial candidates called on the former president to be penitent and to ask for forgiveness for his "sins committed against the Filipino people". "He should do acts of atonement to ask forgiveness for his sins," said Senator Frank Drilon. "He must do these things now that it is Holy Week when everyone must ask for forgiveness," said Congressman Ernesto Herrera.

Senatorial candidate Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who is pro-Estrada, challenged President Gloria Arroyo and the Sandig-anbayan anti-graft court to arrest Estrada. Santiago's challenge came following the Supreme Court's second decision affirming the legitimacy of the Arroyo presidency, lifting immunity from the former president.

The construction of the tightly-secured detention cell at the Phili-ppine National Police Special Acti-on Force compound in Silang, suburban Cavite, is being rushed for Estrada's arrest, sources said. The newly-built detention cell, a bungalow-type structure surrounded by barbed wire, has two air-conditioned rooms and a rest room.

Fifteen Supreme Court justices will deliberate today on Estrada's second motion for reconsideration which seeks the reversal of the 13-0 ruling as well as his petition to nullify the plunder charges filed against him at the Sandiganbayan.

Estrada wanted the cases to be brought back to the Ombudsman's office for another preliminary investigation. The "special en banc session" will be held here in Manila, since all the magistrates have returned from Baguio City, the annual venue of the jurists' deliberations every summer.

If the majority of the justices agree to take cognisance of the second appeal, or grants Estrada's request for a temporary restraining order (TRO), then proceedings in the Sandiganbayan, which includes the serving of an arrest warrant, will be put on hold.

Any move of the anti-graft court will likewise be pre-empted if the Supreme Court grants even just one of the two reliefs being sought by Estrada's lawyers, former Senator Rene Saguisag, Pacifico Agabin, and Cleofe Verzola.