Estrada bows out of politics after 50 years
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2019 01:44:18 +0000
OUTGOING Manila mayor, Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada took a bow from politics on Wednesday, almost 50 years after his journey took him from San Juan to the Senate and to Malacanang where he served as the country’s 13th president.
“Isang pagkakataon para ako’y makapagpasalamat sa inyong walang sawang supporta at pagmamahal, for almost 50 years nariyan po kayo sa tabi ko, kayo ang naging lakas ko sa bawat kabanata ng aking buhay,” said Estrada at a thanksgiving dinner attended by his family, friends and supporters.
(This is a one-time opportunity for me to thank all of you for your never-ending love and support for the almost 50 years that you have been by my side. You have been my strength in every chapter of my life.)
Estrada also thanked the masses who supported him from his days as an actor and to all those years that he served in various positions in government.
“Nang pasukin ko ang pelikula, ang masang Pilipino ang nagdala kay Erap. Sa politiko ang masang Pilipino pa rin ang nagdala kay Erap. Kaya’t hindi [ako ] makakabayad ng utang na loob sa mga mahihirap,” he added.
(When I joined the movies, it’s the Filipino masses who supported me. When I entered politics, the Filipino masses that supported me. I can never thank them enough and I will always be grateful to them.)
The dinner at Sofitel ended with Estrada telling Manilenyos that even though he was taking a break from politics, his dedication to Manila would remain.
Estrada lost the Manila mayoralty race to Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso in the May 2019 midterm elections.
Estrada started his political career as mayor of San Juan in 1969 and served the municipality for the next 16 years. He was elected senator in 1987 and was one of the “Magnificent 12” who voted to terminate the Philippine-US Bases Agreement, which led to the withdrawal of American troops from the Clark Air Base in Pampanga and Subic Naval Base in Zambales.
Estrada served as vice president from 1992 to 1998, running with businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco who lost the presidency to Fidel V. Ramos.
In what may be considered the pinnacle of his political career, Estrada was elected president in 1998 but was unable to finish his six-year term after the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court in 2000, ousted him on corruption and plunder allegations.
The Sandiganbayan found Estrada guilty of plunder in 2007 for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Then president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo pardoned Estrada, paving the way for his return to politics. JOSHUA VERA CRUZ
The post Estrada bows out of politics after 50 years appeared first on The Manila Times Online.