Angara: Estrada should go into exile

Former Executive Secretary Edgardo Angara favors exile for ousted President Joseph Estrada to promote "political tranquility" during the first few months of the Arroyo administration.

Angara told reporters yesterday "rabid and fanatical" supporters of the Arroyo administration would like to "prosecute and persecute" Estrada.

"We need to have a pause," he said. "It does not mean that when he (Estrada) goes on self-exile, his cases would be erased. But only if there would be political tranquility now, I believe perhaps, it would be better that our President Estrada leave for the meantime."

Angara, who was Estrada’s emissary in talks with Arroyo’s transition team, said the ousted chief executive rejected a hasty exit to a foreign country when it was first offered by retired Gen. Renato de Villa, who is now Mrs. Arroyo’s executive secretary.

"But the biggest question is whether (Estrada) will agree to (go on exile)," he said.

Angara said Estrada and the former first family will not have difficulty in supporting themselves abroad if they decide to go into exile.

"With so many of his supporters in various countries, there is no problem for their board and lodging," he said.

Angara, who is president of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) party, is against the reported plan of former First Lady Luisa Ejercito Estrada to run for senator under the banner of the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) in the May 14 elections.

Angara told reporters yesterday Mrs. Estrada should carefully think about joining the political fray because she might become the target of the Arroyo administration.

"That’s possible," he said. "The Estrada family is already having difficulties and hardships. I think Doctora should not be exposed because she is the symbol of solidity of their family. Once she gets involved, it will likely also involve the president."

Estrada will make his first public appearance, since leaving Malacañang last Jan. 20, in this morning’s PMP convention at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan.

Angara said the LDP is open to endorsing common candidates from the former coalition Lapian ng Masang Pilipino, which was comprised of the LDP and the PMP.

At the LDP congress last Friday, Angara said they have taken a stand to keep off the legal question being raised in court about the legality of President Arroyo’s assumption to office.

"Our position here is that this is judicial, that is for the lawyers and the Supreme Court to settle," he said. "And us in the party will not step into that, but just wait for the decision of the Supreme Court."