Press Release
November 1, 2007

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada assures that Erap did not made any deal with GMA

Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada assured anew the people that President Joseph Estrada did not made any deal with the Arroyo Administration to be granted pardon by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Estrada who arrived last Thursday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after attending the Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference on Migration in Geneva, Switzerland, denied that there is a political arrangement between President Estrada and Mrs. Arroyo. "There was no deal whatsoever we did not have any deal with this administration. And for the information of others I will still remain with the opposition," said Sen. Estrada during a brief interview with NAIA reporters.

He said that as an opposition leader he will continue to expose the irregularities in the administration.

"I will do the fiscalizing in the Senate. I will still discharge my duties and responsibilities as a senator of this republic and as a member of the opposition," he added.

The senator said that he had already spoken with his father during his stopover in Hong Kong.

"I immediately called him (President Estrada) up and I asked his whereabouts dahil hindi ko pa siya nakikita since he was freed from jail so ngayon pupuntahan ko siya so I am excited to see him as a free man, he said.

"I would also like to thank President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for granting pardon to my father President Joseph Estada," said Sen. Estrada.

He said that President Estrada's priority right now is to take care of his 102-year-old mother Dona Mary who is still in critical condition at the San Juan Medical Center.

Estrada said his father will still continue to help poor people in whatever capacity whether as a private citizen or not.

The senator refused to comment on the new impeachment case against President Arroyo, saying that the impeachment process must emanate from the House of Representatives and not in the Senate.

He said that the pardon granted to President Estrada could be the first step toward national reconciliation.

When asked if he will call PGMA to personally talk to her, Estrada said: "Well maybe. I can thank her personally right now."

Another reported asked if GMA will finish her term, the senator said: "I think so."

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