Reader George Jimenez criticized former President Erap Estrada for visiting former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in her hospital prison in a public act of forgiveness (Opinion, 1/1/14). May I remind him of the following:
The facts: As Erap himself recalled, he spent much of his detention at his Tanay rest house. Arroyo allowed him to leave prison several times—to visit his mother, even to seek medical treatment abroad. Later, after his conviction by a court of justice, she immediately pardoned him. He was even allowed to run for the presidency again in 2010. With this kind of treatment, how can he be blamed for being forgiving?
The law: Arroyo is currently being detained for just one charge: her alleged involvement in PCSO funds mismanagement, based solely on her marginal notation “OK” on a document she was required as the president to sign. Other charges have been reduced or dismissed. And don’t forget the willful denial of appropriate medical treatment for her, which in other countries could be called cruel and unusual punishment.
Theology: Forgiveness is a central Christian virtue, to be exercised especially during the holiday season. Not only does Jimenez refuse to do so, he even criticizes a public figure like Erap for setting a praiseworthy example of forgiveness for the benefit especially of our young people! From under what rock did Jimenez crawl out?
—GARY B. OLIVAR,
Center for Strategy, Enterprise
& Intelligence (CenSEI),
373 Boni Avenue,
Mandaluyong City