Joseph Ejercito Estrada started as a joke. For two years we coped with jokes. But today we are no longer laughing.
How can we still laugh with his unbridled corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, gross incompetence, inability to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and serious betrayal of the public trust?
The two years of Estrada's presidency has been dominated by one scandal after another, involving Estrada himself, his relatives and friends.
In 1998, during his first months in office, Estrada tried to force on the Filipino people the burial of the Marcos remains in the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Two months into office, the BIR, headed by Estrada-appointed Beethoven Rualo, called off the investigation of the 1987 tax fraud case against Lucio Tan's Allied Bank amounting to P231 million. The BIR also shrunk to P5 million Tan-owned Fortune Tobacco's 1993 P8 billion case. Mr. Tan is a known Estrada friend and major campaign contributor. In the same year, an Estrada relative was involved in the textbook scam in the DECS. The relative was never investigated and prosecuted. In 1999, then SEC Chair Perfecto Yasay accused the President of putting pressure on him to stop the investigation of presidential friend Dante Tan and his BW resources. In the same year Sister Christine Tan disclosed how PCSO funds had been diverted to support projects (for political purposes) of First Lady Luisa Pimentel Ejercito and presidential son Jinggoy Estrada .
This year, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism reported how the JELP Real Estate Development Corporation, a firm owned by President Joseph Estrada, First Lady Luisa Pimentel Ejercito and their children Jose 'Jinggoy,' Jacqueline and Jude, blatantly flouted the law. Estrada was a principal shareholder of JELP since its formation in 1992, when he was still Vice President, and he divested from JELP only on November 20, 1998, about five months after he assumed office as President. Estrada is clearly guilty of culpable violation of the Constitution and anti-graft laws. Section 13, Article VII of the Constitution provides that the President, Vice President and members of the Cabinet "cannot directlyor indirectly, practice any profession, participate in any business, or be financially interested in any contract with, or in any franchise, or special privilege granted by the Government."
Now, the President is accused of receiving P10 million of jueteng money a month.
This President has done nothing for the country but enrich himself and his families.We are not surprised that the country is in chaos. The peso is plummeting, investors' confidence is at its lowest, a war is raging in Mindanao, extreme poverty is widespread and the country is without any sense of direction.
This President has proven himself grossly incompetent, completely unable to lead and morally bankrupt. For women, he is also machismo personified. No words can express our disgust with this President.
He must resign.
If he doesn't, we the people must force him out of office. This is the most urgent task of the day. We must move to be counted in this crusade. We must demand our legislators to truly represent the interests of the people by impeaching Mr. Estrada and convicting him of offenses in violation of the Constitution.
We will collectively say, Erap, you have fooled us too long. Let us have
done with you. In the name of God, go!
Babae at Bayan, Isulong! (BABAYI)
Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP)
GABRIELA
Isis International-Manila
Reproductive Rights Resource Group (3RG)
Samahan ng Maralitang Kababaihan (SMK)
Sama-samang Inisyatiba ng Kababaihan sa Pagbabago ng Batas at Lipunan(SIBOL)
Sentro ng Manggagawang Pilipino (SENTRO)
Ugnayan ng Kababaihan sa Pulitika (UKP)
Women's Action in Media (WAM)
Women's Crisis Center (WCC)
Women's Health Care Foundation (WHCF)
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
Women's Legal Bureau, Inc. (WLB)
DSWP member organisations
Samahang Kababaihan sa Brgy. Dayap
Mothers Club of Sta. Veronica
Coconut Farmers Technology Center Women's Desk
Sta. Rita Mothers Club, Inc.
Samahan ng Kababaihan sa Pagpapa-unlad ng Brgy. Dolores (SAKAPABA)
Samahan ng Kababaihang Mangingisda
Samahang Kababaihan ng Binutas
Democratic Women for Rural Development
Women's Association of Barangay Bebito (WABB)
Women's Association of Barangay Sta. Jacobe
Samahan ng Kababaihan ng Barangay Sta. Rosa
Nagkakaisang Samahan ng Kababaihan
Lopez Quezon United Mothers Club, Inc
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Barangay Gapas Women's Organization
Barangay Sastre Democratic Women's Association
Calauag Model Women's Organization (CMWO)
Sandigan ng Malayang Kababaihan ng Batangas (SAMAKABA)
Kababaihang Nagkakaisa sa Kanlurang Batangas (KABABAIHAN)
Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Kababaihan ng Balut II
Samahang Kababaihang Vendors ng Mariveles Public Market (SKVMPM)
Sta. Elena Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Puerto Rivas Women's League
Kababaihang Sama-sama ng Pilar
Samahang Kababaihan ng Balanga
Women's Livelihood Center Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc.
Samahang Pinagpala ng Lote
Grupong Kababaihan ng Balon Anito
Sto. Nino Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Marineth Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Northern Luzon Labor Alliance Women's Collective
UMILI Development Foundation Women's Desk
Tribal Women Revival Development (TWRD)
Belca Women's Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Buhi Rural Women's Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc.
Bato Women's Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Gainza Women's Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Catimbasan Women's Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Women's Development Cooperative (WODECO)
Federacion Kan Kababaihan sa Kabikulan (FEDKKA)
Kababaihang Nagkakaisa ng Sagrada Penafrancia (KANSAPE)
Dela Fe Women's Organization
San Rafael Women's Organization
Sta. Clara Women's Organization
San Benito Women's Organization
Kaandoyog Association, Inc.
Lakas ng Magsasakang Pilipino Women's Desk
Center for Labor and Development (CLAD)
Partido-Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas (PDSP) Women's Committee
Demokratiko-Sosyalitang Kabataan ng Pilipinas (DSKP) Women's Committee
Kababaihang Rosas ng Inang Bayan (KARINA)
Union of Filipino Workers Women's Department (UFW)
Samahan ng Maralitang Kababaihan
VISAYAS
San Nicolas Association for Social and Economic Progress (SNASEP)
Katilingban sang mga Mangunguma sa Banban (KMB)
San Pedro Agricultural Workers Association (SAPAWA)
Kababaihan para sa Kauswagan sang Barangay Mabini
San Fernando Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Ravina Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Constancia Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Kauswagan sang Barangay Paagi sa Kaugalingon nga Kusog kag Pagdumala, Inc.
Navalas Mangunguma, Mamumugon, kag Mangingisda Association
Kabakud Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Katilingban sang mga Kababaihan sa Kauswagan
Liya-Liya Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc.
Quezon Upland Farmers Association Women's Collective
Manaling Upland Farmers Association Women's Collective
Atiotes Upland Farmers Association Women's Collective
Portillo Upland Farmers Association Women's Collective
Tagudtod North Women's Organization
Teresa Magbanua People's Center (TMPC) Women's Desk
Sitio Danao Neighborhood Association, Inc.
Iloilo Council for Social Development, Inc.
Katilingban sang Mamumugon sa Iloilo (KAMI)
South Fundidor Homeowners Association, Inc.
Sta. Filomena Urban Poor Homeowners Association Women's Collective
Bingawan Sericulture Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc.
Katilingban sang Urban Poor Neighborhood Association, Inc. Women'sCollective
Democratic and Industrial Workers Association (DIWA-LMLC)
Kusog sang Mangungumang Ilongos Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Katilingban sang Kababainhan sa Kauswagan sang Barangay Pase
Southern Negros Progressive Women's Organization, Inc. (SNPWOI)
MINDANAO
Agus Development Foundation, Inc. (ADFI) Women's Desk
Rosario Women for the Enhancement of Livelihood Association (ROWELA)
Women's Association of Wasi-an (WOW)
Hubang Ladies Club (HCL)
San Pedro Women's Organization
Sidlakang Agusanong Mag-uugmad Ambit Hugpong Alang sa Nasud (SAMAHAN)
Women's Organisations
Cessar Foundation
Kabuklod sa Gawaing Makatao at Mapayapang Sambayanan, Inc. (KABUKLOD-GAWA)
Bukidnon Women's Organization (BWOI)
Mindanao Urban Poor Congress
Nagkahiusang Mag-uugma sa Habagatang Mindanaw (NAMAHAMIN) Women'sCommittee
Padada Women's Ensemble, Inc.
Lanao Women's Assembly (LWA)
Association of Women in Development (AWID)
