President Joseph Estrada's Address to the nation on the issue of the Juetenggate Scandal

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(Courtesy of the Office of the Press Secretary, Malacañang)

President Joseph Estrada's Address to the nation on the issue of the Juetenggate Scandal:

Oct. 12, 2000


We are all aware that the Senate and the House of Representatives have held hearings on certain accusations made against me and my family over the issue of jueteng. Thus far, the only evidence submitted consists of the self-serving testimony of a confessed key player in illegal gambling. He has also been found to have clearly misused two billion pesos of public funds by the Commission on Audit.

I am confident that the investigations will eventually clear my name.

Inuulit ko na wala akong tinanggap na kahit isang sentimo sa huweteng o kahit anumang uri ng illegal gambling. Malinis ang aking konsiyensiya. Wala akong itinatago sa ating mga kababayan. Naniniwala ako na mananaig ang katotohanan sa kabuan.

I regret that some quarters have hastily prejudged the issue even without the benefit of an investigation. For their own political agenda, some have asked for my impeachment. Others have demanded my resignation. It is my conviction that the call for impeachment or resignation is unfair as it is hasty.

It prempts the present inquiries being conducted on the jueteng issue. Nothing has been presented in the congressional hearings
except for sweeping and baseless allegations.

This is a disservice to the spirit of fair play and in the interest of justice. We must listen attentively to facts instead of innuendoes.

Ikinalu-lungkot ko na hinihingi na aking pagbibitiw sa aking
sinumpaang tungkulin dahil lamang sa mga maling paratang at mga bintang na walang basehan.

Yesterday, I received a copy of the pastoral statement of the Archdiocese of Manila issued by His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin. I full agree with him that we must encourage prayer and must act together.

Kailangan natin ngayon ang kapangyarihan ng panalangin at pagkakaisa.

But I respectfully take exception to the good cardinal's call for me to resign and relinquish my office to my constitutional successor. I have been elected and given the mandate by our
people to serve. I have sworn to fulfill this mandate. I ask our people not to easily jump to conclusions because this is not the way we must resolve our problems.

We must uphold the spirit of the Constitution and the process it provides. As I respect the Constitution and its process, I sincerely hope that everyone will do the same. A duly elected president cannot abandon the people's will on the mere basis of what is obviously a politically motivated hatchet job.

I thank former president Corazon Aquino and Brother Mike Velarde for calling upon our people to respect our constitutional processes. I join the hierarchy of our church and our nation
in the call for prayer and peace. We must uncover the truth based facts and not just on sweeping and self serving allegations.

Napakarami ng mga problema na hinaharap ng ating lipunan.
Kailangan natin tugunan ang mga suliranin ng ating bansa, lalo na sa kabuhayan at ekonomiya. Inaamin ko na kahit ako ang inyong pangulo, hindi ko kayang labanan ang kahirapan ng nag-iisa. Kailangan ko ang tulong ninyo. Kailangan tayong magkaisa upang labanan ang kahirapan ng higit na nakararamin nating mga kababayan. Kailangang magsikap tayo ngayon para mabigyan ng magandang kinabukasan ang sambayanang Pilipino at mga
darating pang henerasyon. Magka-isa na po tayo at magtulungan tayong lahat.

Maraming salamat po.


____________________________________

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED! FOR POSTERITY, INFORMATION AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY!
____________________________________


2000 © Malacañang Palace. All Rights Reserved.

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