Press Release
September 24, 2007

TRANSCRIPT OF SENATOR
JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA

On tomorrow's meeting...

SJEE: Siguro, we'll discuss the details of the pardon but first I would like to point out that President Estrada did not ask for it. President Estrada is not admitting his guilt. He still retains his innocence. As I have mentioned earlier in my previous interviews there a lot of loopholes in the decision of Sandiganbayan.

Change of position...

SJEE: Wala. Wala naming sudden change of position. Sa amin, pag mag-ga-grant ng pardon, kailangan absolute. Hindi conditional.

Would that mean, kahit papano magiging friendly na ang Estrada family sa administrasyon?

SJEE: No. not necessarily. Nothing will change. I will still continue to be a member of opposition here in the Senate. And President Estrada will still be the figurehead of opposition. I will continue to expose all anomalies in this government, as long as I am senator.

Details of the pardon...

SJEE: Wala pa. That's premature to answer. I mean wala pa naman detalye.

On tomorrow's meeting...

SJEE: Of course, it will be Sec. Puno, myself and my father. Matagal na kaming magkakaibigan. In fact, if you remember, Sec. Puno was a cabinet secretary of my father. DILG din. It's a friendly visit.

There are a lot of emissaries who are working on this. Hindi ko na babanggitin kung sino ung mga personalities na yan. And all of them mean well. Lahat sila ay concerned sa kapakanan, welfare ni President Estrada.

Hindi siya official visit? Hindi siya official offer for pardon?

SJEE: No, no. walang ganun. It's a friendly visit. Siyempre, pag-uusapan na rin siguro ung mga detalye kung may io-offer and administrasyon.

Wala pang magiging finality?

SJEE: No. Wala. Wala pa.

Put an end to the discussion within the week?

SJEE: Ako, if you're gonna ask me, sana nga matapos na ito. Because President Estrada has been suffering six years and a half already in jail. Considering his age, he's already 70 years old, siguro naman he deserves to spend the rest of his life outside detention.

Mrs. Arroyo is doing this to protect her own interests?

SJEE: Well, I do not know. If that's their opinion on the matter, I cannot comment on that.

Is this a welcome development?

SJEE: Yes, of course. I will not deny that. Of course, we are family, his family who wants to be with him.

Oo naman kahit bukas, gusto ko na e. Sa akin, gusto ko na, kahit next week. He's already seventy years old. I think it's the right time to play with his grandchildren which we did not do when he was president.

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