Ramos 'behind Estrada's ouster'

Former Philippines president Joseph Estrada's family say it was Fidel Ramos who persuaded the army to switch sides in 2001, forcing him to resign the presidency.

Speaking from their fabulous Manila home filled with rare antiques including a handcrafted glass painted table from India in upscale Greenhills, Estrada's wife and son in a rare joint interview squarely blame the former president and military chief for tipping the balance against Estrada.

Asked why Estrada did not stand his ground in 2001 as embattled incumbent President Gloria Arroyo stands hers, Senator Luisita "Loi" Ejercito Estrada, wife of the jailed president said "Ramos pushed the generals to abandon the president (Estrada)."

Adds "Jinggoy" Ejercito Estrada, son of the former president: "My father was forced to leave when the military withdrew support. My father wanted to avoid bloodshed."

Mother and son claim "they started the ball rolling to unseat him from day one."

Says Senator Jinggoy "It was a conspiracy among the elite, members of the clergy especially Cardinal Jaime Sin, Corazon Aquino, the Makati Business Club, the evil or civil society."

Asked why even the media joined the slugfest, Jinggoy said "my father was introducing reforms for the poor, they did not want my father to succeed. They could not accept a movie actor ascending to the presidency, they could not stomach it."

As the opposition steps up the campaign to oust Arroyo after the release of the damaging "Hello Garci" tapes where she is heard speaking to the election chief, there are persistent reports of a deal between Estrada and the embattled president.

Arroyo's strength in the Senate has been weakened after the defection of Franklin Drilon. Arroyo needs the backing of the Estradas and two more if the special committee recommends Arroyo face trial for impeachment.

The mother and son who bears a striking resemblance to his film star father were vehement there was no deal. "We never made a deal with her and her administration. She visited us in the early months of her presidency when we were jailed in Santa Rosa, and immediately after the 2001 elections in Veterans Memorial Hospital. Honestly, I took no notice of her."

But the former president is incarcerated today, not in a jail but in a plush holiday resort. His wife and son may have won their elections to the Senate with her blessing. Jinggoy was freed after two years in jail, facing similar charges of corruption as his father. He says "they found insufficient evidence against me, so they allowed me to post bail."

Insiders insist as the hearing into the senior Estrada's bail application nears, he may be hoping for a final trade off his freedom in exchange for support against the impeachment.

"Among the 76 witnesses who were presented by the prosecution, none of them linked my father. The prosecutors does not have a single piece of evidence to pin down President Estrada."

Asked again about the chances of getting bail, Jinggoy said "they know, the powers know that my father is still a force to reckon with, so they are afraid that if ever he is granted bail, the people will rally behind him."

Loi denies the family orchestrated recent rallies, the leaked tapes and calls to resign. "My husband is in jail," says Loi. "It did not come from us, it came from the people. Everyone already knew she did not win. Now it's been proven after she admitted the voice on the tape is hers. She may not have admitted she cheated, but for me it's an admission of guilt."

Asked why people's power had fizzled out this time Loi says the government blocked people from coming for the rallies from the provinces.

Does Estrada want to come back? "If the Filipino people want him back, so be it, it's not for the family to decide," he said. "There are a lot of Congressmen from the administration who want to join us but cannot disclose their identities for fear the government might harass them."

Arroyo's ouster of Estrada clearly rankles. "Her ascendancy to the presidency was unconstitutional, she grabbed power from the duly elected president. There is no law ousting my father."

He says none of the four provisions in the constitution to remove a president apply to his father. "First is death. He's alive. The second resignation. My father never resigned. Physically incapacitated. He's as strong as a bull. And the fourth, impeached. He was never impeached. The process was aborted when the prosecutors walked out in conspiracy with the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court Chief Justice did not cite them for contempt."

The Estradas refuse to accept that in backing Estrada protege Fernando Poe Jr in the May 2004 elections, they endorsed the Arroyo presidency. "New leaders can emerge but the symbol of opposition is still my father."

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