Press Release
February 11, 2007

SLAY PLOT FABRICATED TO KEEP ERAP
OUT OF REACH BY HIS POLITICAL ALLIES

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Nene Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today accused Malacañang and its security officials of fabricating an assassination plot by the New Peoples Army against former President Joseph Estrada to prevent him from meeting and communicating with leaders and supporters of the political opposition in connection with their preparations for the May national and local elections.

Pimentel branded this as a desperate move being carried out by the administration to minimize the influence of Mr. Estrada in the face of the desire of politicians from both sides of the political fence to get his support and endorsement for their candidacies and boost their winning chances.

He said the people are intelligent enough as not to be hoodwinked by the claim of security authorities that they have uncovered an NPA plot to kill Estrada and other high-profile opposition and administration personalities before the May elections supposedly in order to destabilize the Arroyo government.

That is an old tune, Pimentel said. The truth of the matter is President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is worried sick over the fact that the opposition is steadily gaining strength and she feels threatened by what is happening.

He said the Palace is in a state of panic because surveys show that opposition candidates will sweep the senatorial race while the administration is encountering difficulties in forming a credible and winnable senatorial ticket.

Pimentel said the senatorial aspirants identified with Mrs. Arroyo are getting lukewarm response from the people because of the prevailing feeling of distrust and frustration with her leadership. He said if this negative sentiment spills over to the fight for congressional seats, then that will spell big trouble for the President.

He said the administration, by cutting off the access of opposition people to Mr. Estrada, apparently believes that this will deprive them of a unifying factor and throw them in a state of disarray.

As ordered by the police contingent assigned to secure Estrada at his rest house in Tanay, Rizal, only immediate members of his family and his lawyers, are allowed to visit him.

Pimentel said the Philippine National Police has gone overboard in supposedly tightening security for Estrada by going to the extent of prohibiting him from using his mobile phone, thereby denying him of any means to communicate with his political leaders.

Obviously, the overly strict security measures being enforced by the police due to an alleged assassination threat are nothing more than a disguise to cripple his movements and to render him useless in providing leadership and guidance to the opposition at this crucial stage of the electoral battle, Pimentel said.

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