MANILA, Philippines - Former President Joseph Estrada said it is his birthday wish to see the Aquino administration succeed in stamping out corruption and making former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pay for inflicting so much misery on Filipinos.
“The poor Filipino people are suffering because of the massive corruption that has transpired in the previous administration. She (Arroyo) has to pay for all of this, for turning almost all the government agencies into corrupt institutions,” Estrada told reporters during his 74th birthday celebration in “Erap City,” a resettlement area in Taytay, Rizal for displaced San Juan residents.
With him were San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez and their son Rep. JV Ejercito.
“I’m happy that I’m still healthy. I can still and I was able to go around and continue my tradition of giving gifts to at least 10,000 poor Filipinos to whom I owe my successful career as an actor and as a public servant,” Estrada said. “My birthday wish is justice for the Filipino people.”
He said he hopes President Aquino would be able to fulfill his promises to the nation, particularly of eradicating corruption.
Arroyo succeeded Estrada after his ouster in a bloodless revolt in 2001. But Estrada called EDSA II a conspiracy among a few influential businessmen, civil society and the military.
Estrada said corruption became entrenched in institutions during the Arroyo administration, particularly in the Philippine National Police, the military, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Agriculture.
Arroyo pardoned Estrada in October 2007, months after his conviction for plunder.
“Her guilt is as clear as the morning,” Estrada said.
Estrada tried to make a political comeback by running for president in May 2010 but lost to President Aquino. He placed second in the race but was five million votes behind Aquino. He said he was vindicated by the result of the elections.
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