Top official hints gov't eyeing pardon for deposed president

Asked by the Philippine Daily Inquirer if a pardon was in the offing for ousted President Joseph Estrada, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno said: "I think it's no secret that the President right now is seeking a greater national reconciliation. So the more we are able to bring everybody together, the better for everybody."

The verdict on Estrada, who is under house arrest at his vacation estate in Tanay, Rizal, is expected this month.

"Let's wait and see what the decision will be because we cannot talk about pardon until there is a verdict. After the verdict comes out, maybe we can discuss that," said Puno, who had also served as Estrada's interior secretary.

He refused to comment on a Social Weather Stations survey showing that respondents in Metro Manila and four neighbouring provinces were in favour of a presidential pardon for Estrada.

Meanwhile, national security adviser Norberto Gonzales disclosed a lunch meeting last week with Estrada on the latter's invitation, wherein he told the detained ex-President not to listen to parties wanting to launch another destabilisation move against the government.

Shrugging off the question of whether Estrada had sought a pardon should the Sandiganbayan verdict be conviction, Gonzales said neither he nor his lunch host had made any commitment, or proposed a deal.

"It was just an exchange of views," Gonzales said. He said one of the things they discussed was Estrada's dismay at not being able to resolve the communist insurgency during the latter's term.

Gonzales also said Ms Arroyo had nothing to do with the meeting with Estrada, and that he had not even told her about it.

//(Asia News Network/ANN)