JV, Jinggoy finally bury hatchet on Erap wish
San Juan Mayor Joseph Victor âJV" Ejercito Estrada and Senator Jose âJinggoy" Estrada have finally patched up their differences. The feuding siblings of former president Joseph Estrada buried the hatchet Wednesday on the request of their father shortly after the ousted leader was convicted of plunder by the Sandiganbayan's Special Division. In a press conference of the United Opposition (UNO) at the Makati City Hall Thursday, JV also revealed that he and Jinggoy had a âheart-to-heart" talk two months. âWe talked one on one because it was my fatherâs long time wish to forget our differences. Two months ago, Senator Jinggoy and I talked because our father, President Estrada, told us to patch up our differences," JV said. JV said they heeded the call of their father. âPresident Estrada told us to bury whatever differences we have and continue his fight. He said we (Jinggoy and I) were the only ones he can look up to continue his fight," JV said. JV said that last Wednesday he had a chance to be with Jinggoy and his father inside the menâs room of the Sandiganbayan where they both cried. âWe went together to the [menâs] room and the situation became a little sad and we all cried," JV said. JV said the guilty verdict against President Estrada and the sadness it brought to them had united their family. JV and Jinggoy have been at odds since their childhood for various reasons. He said his fatherâs guilty verdict has been kept secret to their grandmother Doña Mary because of her falling health. âShe learned about my fatherâs situation on television when she was still strong then. But right now, we have to keep it secret from her because we never really know what will happen to her if she learned about it," JV said. JV said that Estrada will not accept any pardon from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He said his father told them that he would rather stay in jail than receive a pardon from Mrs Arroyo, whose legitimacy as president remains in question. âWe were deeply saddened by the conviction, but they (Arroyo administration) have to legitimize their grab of power in 2001," Ejercito said. JV said their father personally told him that he will not accept any offer of pardon from Mrs Arroyo when the family met shortly after the guilty verdict was handed down by the anti-graft court. âPresident Estrada will not accept any pardon from [Mrs Arroyo] because it is like admitting that he committed a crime. He was offered twice by then Justice Secretary Hernani Perez to go out of the country, but he refused all these because he knew that he has not committed any wrongdoing. He said he do not want to receive it from an illegitimate leader," Ejercito said. Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay said Estrada has long been telling the public that in case the former president is convicted the latter will not accept pardon. Binay said they are 101 percent supporting Estradaâs decision because they sincerely believed that Estrada is innocent of the charges against him. He said the decision of the anti-graft court was political and the conviction of Estrada was expected because acquitting the former leader would underscore the illegitimacy of the Arroyo administration. âThe decision is a travesty of justice. But in the long run justice will be given to Erap and to the Filipino people," Binay said. Binay said they will now concentrate on pushing for the investigation into the ZTE National Broadband Network (NBN), the Cyber Education program of the Department of Education. âWe believed that all these projects are tainted with anomalies. Joey De Veneciaâs allegations against Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos that he was offered $10 million bribe to back off from the NBN deal is very serious," Binay said. - GMANews.TV