In an unexpected move, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile Tuesday came to the rescue of ex-President Joseph E. Estrada, defending the former leader from the “serious and grave” accusations Sen. Panfilo Lacson has hurled against him.

Enrile, a close ally of the former president, said in a privilege speech that it pains him to hear Sen. Lacson make his revelations against the former leader in his aim to “unmask” the “real President Joseph Estrada.”

But Enrile said he is not inclined to accept that Estrada, who is running for president in the May 2010 elections and whom he had maintained a strong and close friendship with, is a murderer.

“Ipagpaumanhin sana ni Sen. Lacson na sa aking pagkakakilala kay Erap (Estrada’s monicker), hindi ako handang kagyat lang maniwala na ang dating pangulo ay isang mamamatay-tao. Maraming nang ipinukol na kasalanan at batikos sa kanya, subali’t mahirap at masakit sa akin ang isipin na siya ay isang pusakal,” Enrile said during plenary.

“Sapagkat kung tunay ngang wala siyang konsensiyang kumitil ng buhay, marami akong alam na mga taong higit na mabigat ang kasalanan sa kanya na siguro ay matagal nang nawala sa mundong ito,” he also said.

Enrile, however, did not rebuke Lacson but he expressed sadness over how an old friendship has come to such a bitter and rancorous end and still rages to this today.

He even praised Lacson for being unequivocal about his intentions and for going straight to the point, saying Erap must not be allowed to lead this nation again.

“Precisely, he prefaced his speech by explaining that he is doing this out of a sense of moral duty to the public and the nation. His call was for God to save this country from Joseph Ejercito Estrada. With that call, I believe it is fair and safe to conclude that Senator Lacson's so-called revelations against his former President and commander-in-chief was a serious and deliberate effort to dissuade the public from electing President Erap back to the highest position in the land,” said Enrile.

Enrile, chair emeritus of Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), a political party founded by Estrada himself, said that while he gives credit to Lacson for being “unequivocal” about his intention in disclosing his exposé against the former chief executive, he is compelled to defend Estrada based on his personal experience when he worked with the opposition leader at the Senate and later during his presidency.

The senator from Cagayan said the alleged “dark side” of Estrada is far from the personality and character he had personally witnessed and experienced during the latter’s stint in public office, particularly when he won as a senator in 1987 during then President Corazon Aquino’s term.

“Sa buong panahong iyon, si Erap ay hindi ko kailanman nakitang nag-mayabang o nag marunong. Nagtatanong siya sa akin tungkol sa mga usapin at kalakaran sa Senado sapagkat bago lang siya at walang karanasan bilang mambabatas,” he said. (With reports from Angie Chui and Samuel Raphael Medenilla)