Erap, like other solons, will snub Arroyo's SONA
07/24/2008 | 08:34 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Former President Joseph Estrada will not attend President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's State of the Nation Address in Congress on Monday although he has already received his formal invitation from Congress, a press statement said Thursday night.
The statement came after four senators - Senate Pro tempore Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr, Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Sen. Joker Arroyo - said they were not interested in showing up for Mrs Arroyo’s 8th SONA.
Five congressmen - partly-list Representatives Saturnino Ocampo and Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna; Liza Masa and Luzviminda Ilagan of Gabriela; and Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis - have also said earlier that they would not attend the same event.
"There is no personal reason behind Estrada's decision not to attend as he has already said time and again that he has already forgiven those responsible for his ouster in 2001. He simply believes that it would be a waste of time to go to Congress only to listen to the fairy tale story of the economy from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo," the statement, issued by Estrada's spokesperson Margaux Salcedo, said.
Estrada, in the same statement, said that he believes that what is more important is listening to the "truths" being told by the Filipino masses rather than listening to the "lies of President Arroyo."
The former president was ousted from his post by a popular uprising in 2001 which catapulted then Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to power.
Estrada was arrested and detained even as he faced plunder charges filed against him.
Estrada was convicted for plunder in September 2007 but was pardoned by Mrs Arroyo on Oct. 25, 2007.
He walked out of his detention cell a day later.
On Thursday, Estrada said in his statement that he would want to listen to the people's "truths."
He identified these as the truth of severe hunger, the truth of worsening poverty, the truth of rising inflation, the truth of a worse economy, and the truth that no less than the World Bank has assessed the Philippines to be the most corrupt country in East Asia.
Listening to Arroyo's "proclamations of progress and sound economic fundamentals would be like rubbing salt on the wounds of the poor who are the ones who are hurting from the real state of the nation today," he added. - GMANews.TV
The statement came after four senators - Senate Pro tempore Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr, Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Sen. Joker Arroyo - said they were not interested in showing up for Mrs Arroyo’s 8th SONA.
Five congressmen - partly-list Representatives Saturnino Ocampo and Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna; Liza Masa and Luzviminda Ilagan of Gabriela; and Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis - have also said earlier that they would not attend the same event.
"There is no personal reason behind Estrada's decision not to attend as he has already said time and again that he has already forgiven those responsible for his ouster in 2001. He simply believes that it would be a waste of time to go to Congress only to listen to the fairy tale story of the economy from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo," the statement, issued by Estrada's spokesperson Margaux Salcedo, said.
Estrada, in the same statement, said that he believes that what is more important is listening to the "truths" being told by the Filipino masses rather than listening to the "lies of President Arroyo."
The former president was ousted from his post by a popular uprising in 2001 which catapulted then Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to power.
Estrada was arrested and detained even as he faced plunder charges filed against him.
Estrada was convicted for plunder in September 2007 but was pardoned by Mrs Arroyo on Oct. 25, 2007.
He walked out of his detention cell a day later.
On Thursday, Estrada said in his statement that he would want to listen to the people's "truths."
He identified these as the truth of severe hunger, the truth of worsening poverty, the truth of rising inflation, the truth of a worse economy, and the truth that no less than the World Bank has assessed the Philippines to be the most corrupt country in East Asia.
Listening to Arroyo's "proclamations of progress and sound economic fundamentals would be like rubbing salt on the wounds of the poor who are the ones who are hurting from the real state of the nation today," he added. - GMANews.TV
