Erap, Cabinet pay last respects to Cory

Former President Joseph Estrada and members of his Cabinet on Sunday night showed up at the La Salle Greenhills gymnasium in full force to pay their last respects to the late Corazon Aquino. Radio dzBB's Tuesday Niu reported that Estrada, clad in barong, was also accompanied by his wife, former senator Luisa Ejercito, and son Senate president pro tempore Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada. In an interview, Estrada described Mrs. Aquino as "a great woman" who should be emulated. "We should emulate what she has done for our country. Of course she suffered a lot when (her husband) Ninoy was incarcerated for more than seven years. After that her husband Ninoy was assassinated. She should have just let it go and let somebody take over the presidency, but she had that courage to continue what Ninoy had been fighting for and that's (why) I really admired her," he said. Mrs. Aquino's husband, former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., was gunned down on August 21, 1983 immediately after his return from US. In the interview, Estrada urged people to pray for the soul of "the most loved president of our country," who he lauded for her courage and sincerity. He also noted that Mrs. Aquino's administration was not tainted with scandal or anomaly. More importantly, he said Mrs. Aquino could have continued as president beyond 1992 but chose not to. "She herself bade goodbye to the Filipino people after she saw democracy had returned to the people." A friend In an emotional interview on her television program The Buzz on Sunday, Mrs. Aquino’s youngest daughter, Kris Aquino-Yap, described Estrada as her mother’s "friend." “When mom needed a friend, he was a friend. We are thanking him and his family," Kris told co-host Boy Abunda. Kris also thanked Estrada for visiting her mother when she was still confined at the Makati Medical Center (MMC). She noted that the former leader made an effort to keep his visit private as requested by her family. "Lumaki respeto ko kasi ni-respeto niya kami bilang family. Ayaw niyang mabigyan ng political color (yung dalaw). That made me appreciate him even more," she said. Mrs. Aquino had joined the people power revolt in 2001 that ousted Estrada, who faced numerous corruption and ethical scandals after he was elected president in 1998. Last year, she apologized to Estrada and said her action had been a "mistake." Kris recalled, "I told him, you’ve been so good to mom. Quietly, you’ve been so good. Mom was at the forefront para ma-oust siya." - GMANews.TV