A job for Estrada would help Arroyo keep hers
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo claims to be dedicated to ridding her country of its biggest scourge, corruption. Her predecessor Joseph Estrada was convicted last month of a worse crime, plunder. Granting him a pardon and dangling a government job for him shows she is interested not in the national well-being but in political survival.
By pardoning Mr Estrada, Mrs Arroyo has damaged the rule of law. The suggestion by the director general of her staff that the ousted leader could head up the government's fight against poverty makes a mockery of any claim she makes to have the good of her nation at heart.
The president's reasoning for Mr Estrada to be forgiven was three-fold: that he had already served six years in custody, was 70 years old and such an act would heal deep-seated political rifts. All ignore the ruling of an anti-graft court, which sentenced Estrada to life in prison for receiving kickbacks and illegal gambling payoffs.
A more plausible motive lies in the president's struggle to keep her job. A senate inquiry is looking into allegations she and her husband profited from kickbacks over a national internet broadband contract, since scrapped, while political opponents are launching a third attempt to impeach her since she took office in 2002.
There are grounds for suggesting Mr Estrada could help with poverty alleviation. He won election to the presidency championing the poor. During his decades as a film star, he won a wide following from the downtrodden in society through roles as an underdog.
Whatever authority this may make him on the subject of poverty, his being found guilty of corruption takes away any right to speak on behalf of Filipinos. A presidential pardon does not change this.
Corruption is endemic at all levels of Philippine society. It has stunted the country's development and keeps away much-needed foreign investment.
Mrs Arroyo has done the Philippines a disservice. She has undermined the rule of law and told officials that graft and corruption are not serious crimes. It is hardly surprising that growing numbers of Filipinos want her out of office.
