Estrada to be granted Presidential pardon?!
You have got to be kidding me!!!
ABS-CBN/Agence France Presse just reported that former President Joseph Estrada may just be granted a Presidential pardon by Friday. A unnamed source from Erap’s camp disclosed this today, October 25.
So just wait a minute here. What was all that hoopla that the Sandiganbayan went through for six long years?! Estrada was found guilty of plunder, charged with life sentence, required to return about PhP400M back to the government, and sequestring all his properties. Plus the Court ordered the arrest of all his co-defendants in the case.
So, was the plunder case just a show? And along with the pardon, can Estrada now keep his money and his cronies?
Erap has always said he is innocent and a victim of corruption charges and his prosecution “a conspiracy by the powerful elite, the church and President Arroyo.”
I also dug up an old GMANews revealing that current President Gloria Arroyo is open to talks for an absolute pardon, to ease the political crisis and frequent coup rumors that plague her administration. Apparently, the Palace thinks that being in jail for six years, and having an ailing mother waiting for him is justifiable enough to grant the ex-president a pardon.
Why would Arroyo pardon a man who thinks he is innocent and a victim of her administration? All those other political foes of Arroyo are now going to wage war against her and create enough tension so their comrades in jail can be freed and granted pardon too! I mean, Marcos was exiled from the Philippines up to his death, and ERAP gets pardoned?!
This is absolute nonsense, a cause for blackamail, makes Arroyo a laughingstock, and a mockery of the justice system!
Oooh it makes me so mad!
Tags: Joseph Estrada, president, philippines, ex-president, plunder, verdict, guilty, pardon, ERAP
8 Comments
what will the sandigan bayan do with the money being stolen by Erap? will they pursue with freezing his assets that belonged to the people and return them to the coffers of the gov’t. ?if so then granting of pardon may be justifiable. but then again hastily giving it to Erap may cause to wrec havoc on our justice system. Let the people first taste the sweet victory of the battle, let Erap experience the harshness of justice at least in the dark corners of the prison cells.
I just watched TV Patrol and I’m pretty sure they just now granted/or confirmed that he will get it/ him clemency.
I was really hoping Philippines was finally working on working to get rid of the “corruption” reputation. In my opinion with this clemency, if it did happen – maybe I got it wrong, it is such a HURTFUL action in regards to justice and people who are connected to the Philippines.
I don’t think Filipino Justice (even the concept) is now worth anything anymore.
Klint (pinoy)
Bothell, Washington State, USA
[...] for Filipina Soul who compares Estrada’s fate with that of Ferdinand Marcos: Marcos was exiled from the Philippines up to [...]
what will they do if they don’t let Estrada be free with that issue?? for me Pres.Arroyo will not the pardon case to Estrada if she doesn’t knew that Estrada will be the leader of the opposition case
Bigyan naman natin si Estrada ng chance! Matanda na siya at nasa ospital pa nanay niya, Ano bang makukuha natin? It will just make the government in the Philippines dirtier….
Let’s unite for the better! Hayaan na natin si Erap! Gusto lang naman ni Arroyo na hawakan sa leeg si Erap kasi siya ang lider ng oposisyon na magiging banta sa kanyang pagiging pangulo…
Maawa naman kayo kay Erap!!! Hayaan na nain siya!!! Let him live in peace!!!
Imbis na makialam tayo sa buhay ni Erap, gumawa nalang tayo ng mga bagay na pakikibangan ng lahat!!! Hindi lang naman si Erap ang tao sa mundo di ba??
basically,it is just a politics,he was trialled by the