Chavit deserves immunity — GMA

President Arroyo said yesterday Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson deserves immunity from prosecution for confessing crimes that eventually led to the downfall of disgraced President Joseph Estrada.

Mrs. Arroyo told reporters in Baguio City late Saturday that she recognized the role Singson played in unleashing the chain of events which led to Estrada’s ouster.

"I think he (Singson) deserves immunity because he is a vital state witness," the President said, referring to graft cases filed against Singson before the Office of the Ombudsman.

The President’s statement came on the heels of strong protests over Singson’s appointment as consultant for anti-illegal gambling of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Singson was named consultant due to his personal knowledge on the operators and operations of the popular illegal numbers game jueteng, which he allegedly operates in the Ilocos Region.

DILG Undersecretary Ferdinand Topacio resigned over Singson’s appointment while local government executives and lawmakers predicted the anti-jueteng drive will fail.

Nueva Ecija Rep. Julita Lorenzo-Villareal, who formerly headed the House committee on games and amusement which endorsed the legalization of jueteng, described Singson’s drive to be an "uphill battle."

She said Singson will be up against the livelihood and survival of tens of thousands of people dependent on jueteng.

The Ombudsman is now investigating Singson for allegedly skimming off tobacco excise taxes for Ilocos Sur and delivering the funds to Estrada’s family.

Singson, who used to be among Estrada’s closest allies, revealed on Oct. 4 that he personally delivered to Estrada millions of pesos in bribes from illegal gambling operators all over the country.

Singson had said that he was forced to make the exposé after another close Estrada friend, Charlie "Atong" Ang, allegedly tried to have him liquidated in order to control illegal gambling in the Ilocos Region.

Days later, the Senate commenced a special investigation into Singson’s allegation while civic groups prepared to file impeachment charges against Estrada in the House of Representatives.

Singson was subjected to harassment from the Estrada administration and charged before the Ombudsman for failing to account for the tobacco excise tax fund.

House opposition leaders struggled for weeks to get enough signatures on the articles of impeachment against Estrada on charges of bribery, graft, betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution.

The House finally submitted the articles of impeachment to the Senate on Nov. 13 and formed a panel of 11 prosecutors under the leadership of then Minority Floor Leader and Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr.

While the nation was gearing for its first presidential impeachment trial, Singson joined a group of politicians who were talking with disgruntled generals about a plot to oust Estrada.

The Senate convened as an impeachment court and started Estrada’s trial on Dec. 7, dampening the usually festive Christmas holiday season.

Aside from Singson, other leaders of the plot included former Tarlac Rep. Jose "Peping" Cojuangco and Marine Lt. Gen. Edgardo Espinosa, who had already recruited military units in the north and south of Metro Manila for the putsch set for Jan. 20.

The planned coup, however, fizzled out after civilians were outraged when Estrada’s Senate allies on Jan. 16 voted to suppress vital evidence and pushed the prosecution panel to withdraw in disgust.

Hours after the unpopular Senate vote, civilians started gathering at the Edsa Shrine in Mandaluyong City, the site of the 1986 civilian uprising that toppled the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

The group of Cojuangco and Espinosa, presumably including Singson, also provided logistical support for the massing civilian protesters who condemned the discredited impeachment trial and called for Estrada’s resignation.

When the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) High Command got wind of Espinosa’s forces on stand-by outside the metropolis, AFP chief Gen. Angelo Reyes withdrew support for Estrada on Jan. 19.

On Jan. 20, the Supreme Court, sensing imminent danger, declared the presidency vacant and supported the succession of then Vice President Gloria Arroyo, forcing Estrada to abandon Malacañang Palace.