Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Former President and Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada said Wednesday he knows how bad it feels to be wrongfully accused and detained for years and the triumphant joy from exoneration.
Estrada was reacting to the Supreme Court decision to dismiss the plunder case against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the same case that the Arroyo government also filed against him after he was impeached and ousted 15 years ago.
“Ako’y nagagalak na siya’y napalaya na rin. Napatanuyan na walang kasalanan, tulad din ng nangyari sa akin diba. Humingi ng tawad ang dating Pangulong (Corazon) Aquino, simbahan, sa ginagawa sa akin. Walang napatunayang nagnakaw ako,” he said.
[Translation: I am delighted that she will be set free. It was proven that she is innocent, just like what happened to me. Former President (Corazon) Aquino and the Church asked for my forgiveness. It was not proven that I stole money.]
The Supreme Court, voting 11-4 on Tuesday, decided to dismiss the plunder case against Arroyo because of insufficient evidence and ordered her immediate release from a government hospital where she has been detained since her arrest in 2012.
Arroyo, who was Estrada’s Vice President, took over the presidency after he was ousted in 2001 in the wake of massive anti-corruption protests.
Estrada was convicted of plunder in 2007 and was pardoned by Arroyo a month later. He was held in a police camp and also at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center where Arroyo is being held. After his conviction, Estrada was allowed to stay at his vacation home in Tanay until he was pardoned.
Estrada has repeatedly called on former President Benigno Aquino III to place Arroyo under house arrest instead of being detained at the Veterans hospital.
He said he last visited Arroyo at the hospital last year.
