SC junks disqualification case vs. Joseph Estrada

By AMANDA FERNANDEZ, GMA News

Published January 21, 2015 12:24pm

(Updated 2:51 p.m.) Former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada will remain mayor of Manila.

This was after the Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the petitions seeking his disqualification.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, SC spokesman Theodore Te the justices voted 11-3 in favor of junking the petition filed by Alicia Vidal, counsel of Alfredo Lim, Estrada's strongest rival in the 2013 mayoral race in Manila.

Te said the justices took into consideration the pardon given to Estrada in 2007 by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in coming up with their decision.

"The majority characterized the pardon extended by Mrs. Arroyo to Mr. Estrada as absolute, thereby restoring Mr. Estrada's qualifications to stand as candidate in the last Mayoralty elections," he said.

Te said the acceptance of Estrada of the absolute pardon removed the disqualifications arising under Section 40 of the Local Government Code in relation to Section 12 of the Omnibus Election Code.

Justices Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Presbitero Velasco Jr., Arturo Brion, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano Del Castillo, Martin Villarama Jr. , Jose Perez, Jose Mendoza, Bienvenido Reyes, and Estela Perlas-Bernabe voted for the junking of the petition, while Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Justices Antonio Carpio, and Marvic Mario Victor Leonen voted in dissent.

Erap happy, thankful

In a television interview, Estrada said he was very happy with the high court's decision.

"Masayang masaya ako at gusto kong magpasalamat... Nagpapasalamat [ako] sa Supreme Court justices," he told GMA News TV's Balitanghali.

In her petition, Vidal argued that Estrada, who was ousted as President in 2001 amid allegations of corruption, should not have been allowed to run for mayor because he had been convicted of plunder during the Arroyo administration.

On Tuesday, a group held a demonstration in front of the Supreme Court urging it to come out with its decision.

Estrada's camp had asked the high court to dismiss the petition, saying he was qualified to run for an elective post since he was pardoned in 2007 by then-President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Jinggoy, JV laud decision

Estrada’s sons, Senators Joseph Victor Ejercito and Jinggoy Estrada, lauded the SC’s decision.

“I am happy that the SC gave the importance to the voice of the people. They respected the mandate that was given as duly elected Mayor of Manila,” he said in a text message to GMA News Online.

In a statement, Jinggoy, who is currently detained at the PNP Custodial Center over plunder charges in connection with the pork barrel scam, said: "The decision ... is a triumph of the will of the Filipino masses especially the electorate of the City of Manila to choose their rightful leader. We know that this petition filed against my father by a losing opponent was merely a ploy to derail his plans of transforming Manila into a dynamic and progressive metropolis, which my father is now doing."

"I hope that the recent decision of the highest court of the land puts to final rest all questions and uncertainties over the pardon given to my father President Mayor Joseph Estrada and his eligibility to run for public office," Jinggoy added.

Malacañang, meanwhile, distanced itself from the issue, saying it is a matter concerning the judiciary and a local government unit.

“The Supreme Court has spoken on the petition against Mayor Erap. Since this is a local government issue, we are not a party to the case,” said presidential spokesman Secretary Edwin Lacierda in a text message.

Asked about the impact of the SC decision on the political landscape for the 2016 polls, Lacierda said, “We are focused on governance right now. We leave with political analysts the impact of the decision.”

Estrada is a stalwart of the opposition coalition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA). —with Joel Locsin, Amita O. Legaspi and Andreo Calonzo/KBK/RSJ, GMA News

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