Estrada hails ‘very impartial’ Enrile

MANILA, Philippines—Former president Joseph Estrada praised Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile in his handling of the impeachment trial, saying that he was “very impartial.”

“Chief Justice Corona is very fortunate than me, because the presiding officer, Senator Enrile, is very impartial,” Estrada said.

Estrada, who was ousted following a botched impeachment trial in 2001, said that he hoped “this trial will finish to find out the real truth.”

He said he believes he would have been acquitted had his trial gone to its conclusion. He blamed then Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide, who presided the trial, who he said was included in the conspiracy to remove him.

Estrada’s impeachment proceedings was aborted when the prosecution team walked out when they were prevented from having the second envelope opened, which led to the “Edsa II” people uprising that ousted Estrada.

“In my case, the impeachment trial did not finish. [But in this case] Senate president Enrile said that he will not allow any walkout,” Estrada said.

When asked if he felt sympathetic for Corona, he shook his head and said “he is the Chief Justice [but] no one is above the law, not even the president, how much more the Chief Justice?”

“I have nothing against Chief Justice Corona,” Estrada added.