Cardinal Vidal backs bail for Erap

Ricardo Jamin Cardinal Vidal

Function: Archbishop of Cebu, Philippines

Title: Cardinal Priest of Ss Pietro e Paolo a Via Ostiense

Birthdate: Feb 06, 1931	Country: Philippines

Elevated: May 25, 1985	More information: www.catholic-hierarchy.org

Send a text about this cardinal »

View all articles about this cardinal »

Cardinal Vidal backs bail for Erap
Mar 04, 2006
Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal yesterday announced his support for Malacañang’s initiative for detained President Joseph Estrada’s temporary liberty and offered himself as a guarantor should the Sandiganbayan choose to grant Estrada bail on recognizance.

(Tribune, 02/17/2006) Vidal made the announcement during a surprise visit to Estrada in the ousted leader’s resthouse in Tanay, Rizal, to personally check on the health of the jailed president and to congratulate him for his anti-hunger advocacy program, the “Rebolusyon Kontra Gutom.”

Estrada seemed overwhelmed by the archbishop’s show of support for his long quest for freedom but while he thanked Vidal for his concern, Estrada also informed Vidal he would be happier if the Filipino masses were to be set free from the bondage of poverty and would have the freedom to pursue the truth.

At the same time, he said he cannot accept freedom without a permanent closure to what he called as trumped-up plunder charges against him.

“Liberty would be meaningless if my family’s honor and good name are not restored,” Estrada told the cardinal.

He thanked his visitor for offering to be a guarantor in his bail bid as he pointed out that his petition for bail was with merit because, Estrada said, of the weak evidence presented against him by the 76 witnesses of the prosecution.

Estrada said he had suffered tremendous emotional pain in his more than five years of incarceration.

Vidal gave his blessings to Estrada at the end of his two-hour visit.

35 READERS ONLINE

INDEX

RSS Feed

back to the first page

printer-friendly

CARDINALS

in alphabetical order

ARTICLES