Good, bad news from the Supreme Court for the Estrada family

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court junks the disqualification case of Joseph Estrada for his 2013 electoral bid.

While his son, Senator Jinggoy, loses his bid to stop the plunder case he’s facing.
Buena Bernal files this video blog.

It is a day of both good news and bad news here at the Supreme Court in Manila for the Estradas, a powerful political family long hounded with controversies left and right.

The High Court junked a disqualification case against former Philippine President,convicted plunderer, and now Manila mayor Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada, affirming his mayoralty and making him eligible to run for future government posts.

Supreme Court spokesperson Theodore Te says the ruling considers Estrada’s civil and political rights fully restored, given the nature of the pardon granted to him by his successor to the presidency, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is now detained at a government hospital over her own plunder case.

THEODORE TE, SUPREME COURT SPOKESMAN: The majority characterized the pardon extended by Mrs Arroyo to Mr Estrada as an absolute pardon thereby restoring Mr Estrada’s qualifications to stand as candidate as mayor in the last 2013 elections.

Known for his antics, Estrada tells this to his poll rival, former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, who also intervened in the Supreme Court petition:

JOSEPH ‘ERAP’ EJERCITO ESTRADA, MANILA MAYOR: May God bless him and more power for his retirement.

However, it’s a different story for Estrada’s son senator Jinggoy.

The Court junked his plea to stop the plunder and graft cases against him over his own misuse of millions in public funds. He will remain detained in a police camp.

As early as 9 am, members of the Koalisyon ng Kabataan Kontra Korapsyon (4K) staged a protest in front of the Supreme Court building, hoping the decision on the Manila mayor’s case went against his favor. To their dismay, 4K Spokesperson Jun Peña recalled the time Estrada publicly announced he will no longer run for a government post.

JUN PEÑA, 4K SPOKESMAN: Bakit ho ang isang convicted plunderer ay napayagan pang tumakbo? Bakit ho pumayag sila na maupo pa rin ang isang mandarambong sa opisina ng Manila City Hall? Yung ganong taong walang isang salita ay palagay ko ho hindi dapat pagkatiwalaan. (Why is a convicted plunderer allowed to run? Why did they allow a swindler in the office of the Manila City Hall? That kind of person who does not keep his word, I think, should not be trusted.)

Given the court ruling on the older Estrada’s case, Peña said members of his group will instead let their voices be heard through their votes in the upcoming 2016 polls if the mayor chooses to run for re-election or a higher post.

Buena Bernal, Rappler, Manila. – Rapplre.com