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Ex-Philippine President Estrada home to hero's welcome
2007-10-26
Joseph Estrada, jailed former leader of the Philippines, came home to a hero's welcome on Friday as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo faced criticism for pardoning the playboy movie star. Brass bands played and thousands mobbed Estrada's car, holding banners and portraits of him as president, when he arrived at his home in the San Juan area of Manila from a villa outside the city where had spent 6 years under house arrest. Arroyo set aside her ousted predecessor's life sentence on Thursday, just six weeks after his conviction on corruption charges, raising suspicion that the clemency was designed to curry favor with the opposition amid mounting bribery scandals. "If I made mistakes or committed sins of omission in my service, stealing from the government coffers was never part of it," he said at an impromptu reception on the steps of the San Juan city hall. "I have no more intention to enter the dirty world of politics. My remaining years in life I will offer in the service of our people," Estrada, 70, said. Earlier, bystanders cheered and waved as he drove to Manila, where he wants to be at the bedside of his ailing 102-year-old mother. But there was considerable criticism of the pardon. "We are disappointed, especially with the haste with which it was done. The timing is very suspect," said Albert Lim, executive director of the Makati Business Club, the Philippines' main commercial forum. Arroyo, Estrada's vice-president who succeeded him after he was ousted in an army-backed revolt in 2001, is facing fresh controversy over accusations of government kickbacks in a $330 million telecoms deal and allegations of cash handouts to allies. But analysts say that unless dramatic new evidence is unveiled, Arroyo's position is secure, saved by a middle-class fed up with political squabbling, no obvious candidate to replace her and record economic growth. The criticism of her decision to release Estrada, famed for his "midnight cabinet" of drinking buddies and gamblers, is also not expected to bubble over into popular outrage. "I don't think there is going to be a hell of a lot of popular fallout for her other than just giving more ammunition for the opposition to beat her up a little bit," said Tom Green, executive director of Pacific Strategic Assessments, a risk consultancy. "All the polls say that people favor turning Estrada loose." OPPOSITION FIGUREHEAD Estrada has pledged not to seek public office, but the former movie star remains popular with poor voters who often refer to him by his nickname "Erap" and, as a figurehead for anti-Arroyo groups, could stir up trouble for the president. Financial markets shrugged off the damage to the Philippines' credibility from his release. The stock market closed up 0.45 percent and the peso ended at 44.06 against the dollar, compared with 44.04 on Thursday. "It is the fundamentals that's been keeping the market up so I think that would continue to be the case," said Jose Vistan, of AB Capital Securities. "If these (political scandals) would continue to drag on for an extended period of time, eventually it will have an impact on share prices but, as of now, the market is awash with so much liquidity, both local and foreign money." Three bishops have called for Arroyo's resignation and an online petition calling for her and vice-president Noli de Castro to stand down to allow a snap election has gathered 250 signatures since it went live five days ago. Arroyo, who has survived two impeachment bids and at least two coup plots, has a track record of shrugging off challenges. "No doubt my decision to grant executive clemency to former president Joseph Estrada will be debated, welcomed, criticized and given all sorts of meanings and motives," she told a business meeting. "Former president Estrada is more than 70 years old. It is time to release him and time for him to be at the bedside of his dying mother." (Additional reporting by Carmel Crimmins, Rosemarie Francisco and Manny Mogato)
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