Friday, September 21, 2007 Estrada, kin won't beg Arroyo for anything: Loi By Ben O. Tesiorna
SENATOR Loi Ejercito, wife of former President Joseph Estrada, said the former President is still weighing things out and is thus not yet sure if he will accept a presidential pardon.
One thing is sure though, their family will not beg President Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo for anything, including pardon. "Para sa akin ang Diyos na lang ang bahala. We will definitely not go down on our knees and beg for anything," she said.
Senator Ejercito said: "I talked to him (Estrada) about it. He is thinking it over. Kasi there are two kinds eh, amnesty and pardon. Di ko pa alam kung alin ang gusto niya."
She said Estrada's sins are nothing compared to the sins of the Arroyo administration.
"Yung ginawa nilang conviction sa kanila di tama. Kasi wala namang government funds na na-malverse. I-compare mo ang kanyang kasalanan sa present administration ang kay Erap jaywalking lang (The conviction is not right. There were no government funds that were malversed. Compare to the sins of the Arroyo administration, Erap’s was only jaywalking)," Ejercito said.
As to observations that Estrada's appeal to the masses is waning, Senator Ejercito said such is not true.
She said the only factor that keeps the masses from expressing their disgust on the injustices committed against Estrada is the government's iron-fist policy against protest rallies.
"You know why, ang mga tao they are just watching kasi ayaw din nilang mag-rally dahil pinupukpok nila. Yun ang style ng Arroyo administration eh so that we cannot get any crowd. Pero kung wala yan, naku mas masahol pa sa Edsa 3 ang tao," Ejercito said.
Asked about her purpose in visiting Davao City, Ejercito said she met with members of her Mare Foundation at the same time visited a close friend who is sick.
Ejercito also met with City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte Wednesday and discussed the guilty verdict by the Sandiganbayan for plunder against Estrada.
The senator denied that their meeting has something to do with the alleged plan of mass action against the Arroyo government.
In an interview here Thursday morning, the senator said she immediately paid a courtesy call to Duterte upon her arrival Wednesday.
She said the mayor expressed his sadness about the guilty verdict against Estrada and added that he is supporting the grant of pardon to her husband by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
"He wants pardon for Erap that's what he (Mayor Duterte) told me," Ejercito said.
