Estrada's Lakbay caravan goes to Pangasinan

BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan , Philippines   – Former President Joseph Estrada kicked off his two-day Lakbay Pasasalamat in the province here yesterday.

Estrada’s entourage received applause and cheers from students and teachers at the Pangasinan State University where he, Sen. Loren Legarda, Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, Joey de Venecia, lawyer Adel Tamano and former Batangas vice governor Ricky Recto delivered speeches.

Estrada thanked the crowd for their warm reception, saying he had promised to go around the country for the people’s support when he was being tried for plunder and when his wife Loi and son Jinggoy were elected senators. 

While the country celebrated the EDSA 1 People Power Revolt yesterday, Estrada said EDSA 2 where he stepped down to avoid bloodshed and violence is not celebrated.

Unlike EDSA 1, he said EDSA 2 though is “shameful and not worth celebrating because it was wrong, against the Constitution.” 

He said he knew the poor, not the rich, would be tapped for EDSA 2 and he would not want them to be manipulated, thus he chose to step down. 

He insisted he did nothing wrong so he stood his ground by refusing twice to accept the offer of President Arroyo’s administration, through then Justice Secretary Hernani Perez, to sign a resignation letter in exchange for his total liberty. 

As a result, he said he was detained for six years and six months for plunder.

But he said he did not regret it because when he was freed, he saw the overwhelming support and the warm reception of the people toward him.

Estrada vowed to return to politics to finish his presidency. “Babalik ako. Tatapusin ko yung pagka-presidente ko (I shall return. I will finish my presidency),” he told the crowd, saying this was his vow to his late mother. 

Estrada’s group later proceeded to San Carlos, hometown of the late Fernando Poe Jr. where the latter’s daughter, Mary Grace Poe, joined them and openly expressed her desire to run for senator in the 2010 elections.