Estrada: Yasay asked P1 M from Dante

Talk about audience participation.

The hosts of a late-night television talk show Wednesday had an irate caller they just couldn't ignore - President Estrada.

The President took to the airwaves to give his side during the talk show Debate: Mare at Pare on GMA-7, which was discussing the Best World Resources controversy involving his friend, BW majority owner Dante Tan.

Panelists included two of the President's most outspoken critics -- outgoing Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Perfecto Yasay and opposition Sen. Raul Roco, whose committee is investigating the BW controversy.

Wanting his side to be heard, Mr. Estrada called up the program and turned it into a real live debate on nationwide television.

He lashed out at Yasay, who had earlier alleged that the President pressured him to back off from the BW investigation and clear Tan.

Not only did he deny that his friend was involved, Mr. Estrada accused Yasay pointblank of extortion.

"Mr. Dante Tan was with Mr. Yasay in Shangri-La Hotel where they had a meeting. After the meeting, he (Yasay) asked his (public relations officer), who was a woman, to ask P1 million from Mr. Tan. Mr. Tan will prove this. You, Mr. Yasay, you are such a liar," Mr. Estrada said. "Itanong mo kay Dante Tan. Nag-usap sila sa Shangri-La (Ask Dante Tan. They talked at Shangri-La)."

Yasay said he did not want to quarrel with Estrada out of respect for the President.

"Don't be angry with me for what I said because I am only telling the truth," he replied. "If you are going to get angry with me and if we are going to react that way with public officials who are just doing their job, no one would volunteer to be a public official."

Yasay admitted that he met with the President last Feb. 18 at Malacañang with Andrew Tan, a mutual friend, for a one-on-one meeting.

During that meeting, Mr. Estrada said, Yasay apologized and promised to resign immediately.

"Iyan ang buong katotohanan. Huwag kang magsinungaling. Baka ka tamaan ng kidlat (That is the truth. Do not lie. Lightning might strike you.)," the President told Yasay.

Mr. Estrada then turned to Roco, who lost to him in the 1998 elections. He asked Roco why his committee was holding hearings on the BW case without a quorum.

"Isn't media mileage what you're after?... Maging totohanan tayo. Huwag ninyo lilinlangin ang bayan (Let's be truthful. Don't deceive the people)," Mr. Estrada told him.

Explaining himself the following day, Mr. Estrada said he was forced to call the program because Yasay was spewing lies to mislead the public and discredit him.

For his part, Yasay vehemently denied Mr. Estrada's accusation: "I deny this...I don't think the President should be malicious. I didn't ask for any money from Dante Tan. It was a squid tactic."

In the television program, Yasay gave the President a bit of unsolicited advice: Keep your cool.

"As a public official, you're fair game. You have to take it as part of the job," Yasay said. "But the President, being the highest public official, he should not get angry. Huwag siyang pikon (He shouldn't be easily piqued)." - Paolo Romero, Reuters