The Sandiganbayan verdict last Wednesday on ousted Pres. Erap Estrada is a win-win formula.

A six-year trial cannot end up with nothing. The special division of the anti-graft court wily promulgated its judgment first on the perjury case which found Estrada not guilty as charged. Others immediately misinterpreted the verdict as the main decision. They were wrong.

In the plunder case, Estrada was convicted but his co-accused, Atty. Edward Serapio and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada were acquitted.

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With his acquittal in the perjury case and those of Serapio and Jinggoy, Erap remains to be the only problem of his legal panel in the plunder case.

Certainly, the case will reach the Supreme Court. If the High Tribunal reverses the conviction, well and good for Erap.

But if the Supreme Court affirms the conviction, it is still well and good for Erap. He can always avail of the suspension of sentence. By the time that the Supreme Court resolves the plunder case, Erap would be 70 years old already. Get the point?

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Before we left for Surigao City last Wednesday afternoon, we joined the distribution of free school supplies to the pupils of the public elementary schools in the barangays of Tiptip, Dao, San Isidro, Manga, Dampas, Cabawan and Taloto.

Dr. Elpidio Jala, city division superintendent led the distribution directly to the pupils. Mark Monton, OIC of the general services office, facilitated the new distribution system together with his staff. City Planning Office Ed Macalandag also joined us.

We joined the distribution to represent City Mayor Dan Neri Lim and in our capacity as chairman of the committee on education in the city sanggunian.

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This week, the free shoes and uniforms to the pupils will be distributed through the respective teachers-in-charge per classroom in the 16 public elementary schools here.
We cannot fathom the impact of these freebies from the city government to the pupils.

There were mixed and varied reactions as we asked the pupils to recite what they will say to their parents upon going home with their free school supplies added with raincoat for boys and umbrellas for girls.

We cannot help but ask, if City Mayor Dan Neri Lim could do this in Tagbilaran, why not in other localities? Just asking.

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Upon our return yesterday morning, we immediately proceeded to the Cooperative Training Center for the education summit hosted by the city division office.

The activity was attended by all stakeholders in the formation of school governing bodies for the various public schools in the city.

We commend Dr. Elpidio Jala for his initiative to call the education summit which was attended by both national and regional officials of the education department. City Mayor Dan Neri Lim also found time to attend the whole-day affair yesterday.

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SP UPDATES. During the regular session of the 10th Sangguniang Panlungsod last Wednesday led by Vice-Mayor Jose Antonio S. Veloso, the city lawmakers ratified the loan agreement earlier entered between the Development Bank of the Philippines and the city government for the purchase of vehicles to beef up the mobility of the city police force.

We also approved a resolution endorsing the appointment of Avelino Razon as the next PNP chief.

The city sanggunian also approved the ordinance we jointly sponsored with City Councilor Lucio Balbin on the establishment of SEA-Kaunlaran in the city through the city social welfare and development office.

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