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Joseph Estrada, ex-President of
Philippines, granted pardon
27 October, 2007
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of
the Philippines, has pardoned Joseph
Estrada, who was her predecessor.
Joseph Estrada, 70, has been in prison
for a month now after he was sentenced
to life on charge of plunder.
Media reports quoted a top government
official as saying that the pardon
would restore Estrada’s civil and
political rights and would come into
upon his acceptance of the pardon.
Joseph Estrada had been permitted by
an anti-corruption court to be
detained in his luxurious villa near
Manila, capital of the Philippines,
when he appealed against his
conviction. His lawyers withdrew his
appeal a few days ago, an act that
removed the main hurdle in the grant
of pardon.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,
media reports added, cited her
government’s policy of freeing
convicts who have reached 70, Joseph
Estrada’s detention for six and a half
years and his public pledge not to
seek any public office as reasons in
deciding to grant pardon.
However, a court order forfeiting a
mansion and over $15.5 million in bank
accounts believed to be owned by
Estrada would stay.
Joseph Estrada was ousted as President
by a non-violent “people power” revolt
that was led, among others, by Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo, who was then
Estrada’s vice- president, in 2001,
over allegations of huge corruption
and misrule.
Estrada was arrested and detained a
few months later. He was convicted in
September 2007 after a six-year trial
on charges that he took bribes and
kickbacks while in office. The trial
led to his being sentenced to life in
prison.
He had denied the charges against him
and accused Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of
masterminding his removal in a
conspiracy with leaders of the Roman
Catholic Church and senior military
officers.
Joseph Estrada, a school dropout, is a
former movie actor who has starred in
action films. He remains popular to
this day among poor Filipinos who are
fans of his movies in which he often
played roles as a champion of the
poor.
Joseph Estrada has been renowned for
his so-called “midnight cabinet” of
drinking and gambling with friends
during his 31 months as President
before he was forced to step down in
January 2001.
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