Anti-poverty job for Estrada?

from the Inquirer

Palace willing to ‘work together’ with ex-leader
By Michael Lim Ubac
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—Will a government post be open to Citizen Erap?

A day after former President Joseph Estrada won executive clemency and reclaimed his freedom, Secretary Cerge Remonde yesterday said the government and the ousted leader could “work together” to fight poverty in the last three years of President Macapagal-Arroyo’s term.

“Why not?” said Remonde, chief of the Presidential Management Staff, when asked if Estrada could play a role in Ms Arroyo’s efforts to defeat poverty.

Lest he be misunderstood, Remonde quickly emphasized that “it’s not for me to offer a government post to the former President. (I’m) not in a position to offer him a post.”

Estrada, a convicted plunderer who regained his freedom the other day after Ms Arroyo pardoned him, was visiting his ailing mother in the hospital and could not be reached for comment. But his wife, former Sen. Luisa “Loi” Estrada, said in Filipino: “We know nothing about that.”

“For me, di dapat mabigyan ng posisyon si Presidente Erap. Di nya dapat tanggapin. Masyadong demotion na yun. Kahit anong posisyon. Magtrabaho na lang siya ng sa kanya (President Erap should not have a position in government. He should not take it. That’s too much of a demotion for him. He should just work on his own),” Loi told the Inquirer.

Estrada himself said on the day he was freed that he had no intention of going back into “dirty politics” and would just remain a plain citizen while continuing with his avowed mission of eradicating poverty in the country.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, who had worked for Estrada’s pardon, yesterday said the issue of whether Estrada would be given a government post should not becloud Ms Arroyo’s grant of executive clemency.

“Erap already said he no longer wants any government position,” said Puno, without elaborating.

Asked if Estrada would be given a key “role” in the National Anti-Poverty Commission, acting Executive Secretary Ignacio Bunye said on radio dzRB: “We don’t have information as to specifics, but his offer to help in pushing for antipoverty programs that will (benefit) the people, definitely that’s very welcome from the former President.”

Bunye said that the government’s fight against poverty could be fast-tracked with Estrada on board.

“Napakalaking bagay niyan. Tumatakbo tayo ng 50 kph, pagka nagtulong-tulong ang kababayan natin baka mas mabilis, we’ll probably hit 75 kph kung masusulong ang ekonomiya (That will be a big thing. If say, we’re running at 50 kph, we can go as fast as 75 kph if our countrymen will all help in pushing the economy forward),” Bunye said.

Remonde, one of President Arroyo’s closest confidants, said that allowing Estrada to work with the government could help foster national unity since the latter himself vowed to dedicate the remaining years of his life to helping the poor.

“It’s OK. I don't see any reason why the government should not be willing to work with him, especially because he has said that his concern now is to help the poor, which is also the concern of the government,” Remonde said.

Since both Ms Arroyo and Estrada have a “similar objective,” Remonde said “there is no reason why we can’t work together.”

Remonde said “working together can be in many ways,” noting that the government had been enlisting the help of various groups and nongovernment organizations to break the cycle of poverty that has been hindering progress.

Remonde said he was aware that talk about a government post for Estrada this early would only fuel suspicion that there were strings attached to the executive clemency extended him by Ms Arroyo.

“No talk about that (yet in the Cabinet),” said Remonde.

Asked if Ms Arroyo could work with Estrada in his private capacity, the secretary said: “We’re willing to work (with him) in whatever capacity but not offer him (a post outright).”

In an earlier interview with GMA 7, Remonde said: “I don’t see why it’s not possible that he can help in these programs.”

He had been asked if Malacañang would give Estrada a key role in its antipoverty program.