Alleba Politics

Barely two weeks before the court hands down the verdict to former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada’s plunder case, Federico Manrique publishes a book entitled “Dark Conspiracy.” Manrique is a former action officer of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and former employee of the Office of the Ombudsman.

Manrique, together with his lawyer Cirilo Avila, filed a Manifestation of Intervention at the Sandiganbayan. According to Manrique, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, along with her cohorts manipulated evidence to force a trial and the eventual conviction of Estrada.

Among those mentioned in the Manifestation are Rigoberto Tiglao, and Michael Defensor. Allegedly, they ensured that Manrique will not testify for Estrada. Manrique was given diplomatic status in Canada in 2000. He was supposed testify in the pluder hearing in 2003. Allegedly, Manrique was also corerced into filing a perjury case against Estrada, even before the plunder case was filed. Many other names and incidents are listed by Manrique in his book and in his Manifestation.

Of course these accusations are a cause for concern. Were we duped by Arroyo and her cohorts? By now, there is no doubt in my mind that Arroyo is capable of dirty tricks just to attain power. First, she broke her promise not to run for the Preisdency. Then, came the “Hello Garci” tape. Then again, she has hinted that she is thinking of running for Congress come 2010. And of course, Arroyo and her cohorts are still resisting the Senate’s re-opening of the “Hello Garci” issue.

Arroyo’s less than stellar performance in the credibility and transparency department gives credence to Manrique’s accusations. Surely, if the current administration is serious is having a credible conviction of Estrada, they will conduct a FAIR and TRANSPARENT INDEPENDENT investigation of Manrique and Avila’s accusations.

On the other hand, it is very much dubious that Manrique and Avila are only just revealing these now, barely two weeks before the conviction. Is it just a ploy by these two to get media attention? Or is it a sincere effort to rectify a past mistake? Or are Manrique and Avila puppets of Estrada or his people? Whatever the case maybe, I can only hope that it will lead to truth and nothing but.

Right now, I must admit, I am confused about the issue. Ultimately, I would like all these accusations to be false. This may just be a ploy by Estrada’s camp to cast doubt on his pending conviction. Then again, it is not unlikely that Arroyo indeed fabricated evidence and coerced people to get what she wants. Until facts surrounding Marinque and Avila’s personalities surface, I am suspending judgment. Both sides of the fence, after all, are capable of a dark conspiracy.

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