Just because he’s managed to fool a bunch of idiots to vote for him again, he thinks he can twist, twirl and convolute history as he pleases. The nerve. He has the gall to compare himself to Nelson Mandela, Anwar Ibrahim, Aung San Suu Kyi and Ninoy Aquino. Visit: Erap Takes Oath…
“This is another historic milestone for the city of Manila. For the first time, Manila will have an ex-convict as your city mayor,” Estrada told a crowd that included Vice President Jejomar Binay, family, political allies, former Cabinet members, and Manila city hall employees.
“Kung ako man ay ex-convict ito ay dahil sa aking prinsipyo. (If I were convicted, it was out of principle.) I feel that I am in good company with Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar, and our own Sen Ninoy Aquino who was also convicted by a military court.”
“We were all convicted that is why we are now all men of conviction,” Estrada quipped.
Like Erap, each of these individuals were indeed imprisoned but the comparison ends right there. Unlike Erap, they devoted most of their lives to fight oppression. Erap only claims to fight poverty. In fact, his life represents the most deceitful exploitation of poverty, encapsulated in his slogan “Erap para sa mahirap” and memorialized (for all the generations of Filipinos to remember) by the Sandiganbayan’s (a) verdict of “guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of plunder” and (b) corresponding sentence of reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment.
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A first in Philippine history even if it should have been a death penalty—if not for the inappropriate political machinations of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo that abolished capital punishment in the Philippines. And as if that was not enough to cheat the people of the justice they deserved, the little lady proceeded to abuse her power of executive clemency by pardoning the scoundrel, just because she couldn’t stand the heat of her own unpopularity. As an unduly elected president, she had no right to initiate the abolition of capital punishment and/or to pardon Erap. All the same, Erap’s brazenness is only matched by his stupidity (i.e., unlike other corrupt presidents, Erap was caught and convicted) and good fortune.
The fact is, Erap should not even be in our midst. If the wheels of justice worked properly in this country, Erap should have been executed many years ago and his lewd presidency should have served as a prime lesson against corruption in government. Instead, he is an unrepentant and arrogant criminal who has “gotten away with it” and he shamelessly continues to pervert public office, our history and the values of our nation. Erap alive is a failure of government and a travesty of justice. Erap executed by any means is the right of every decent Filipino.
[Photo courtesy World News Inc.]
Nice play of words by Erap there. But I’ll give him a chance with Manila. I always thought he’d do better as a mayor than a president. But we’ll see.
so erap is your idea of a fine statesman. that explains a lot
And so Noynoy Aquino is your idea of a fine statesman. That explains a lot. 😛
It’s your practice to put your words in the mouth of others. That explains a lot. 😉
Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt.
I know he’s going to make a change. I just hope that change is for the better…
Meh… I don’t think it’s possible to do much worse for Manila.
Thing is, when he was President, one notable thing that was accomplished was that all police returned “borrowed” carnapped vehicles.
Other things like the sale of drugs on the street plummeted big time and I know because the street where I lived in in Manila were suddenly clear of druggies.
There was also that war with MILF which almost decimated them.
Then again, he has been known to also be a do nothing kind of leader.
So, let’s see.
I don’t like the fact that he has Celdran as tourism chief, Manila needs someone with greater stature and better breeding.
More likely, Erap appointed him so that Celdran will be as meek as sheep 🙂
this entry is filled with contradictions. every manileno also has the right to vote and they voted for this man. respect that
Respecting something does not mean your evaluations of the same thing are right or wrong. You can respect something and point out the wisdom or foolishness of it. Or both.
Respect rigged elections, corrupt government officials that feel entitled to plunder the treasury, commit crimes with their authority (using office to facilitate a business deal/criminal enterprise like jue-teng)?
I’ll pass, but you go right ahead and be ‘respect’ful…in that sinking ship of yours.
each and everyone, as the RED QUEEN says:”Off with his head”.
raul,
What do you find contradictory? Are you saying now that because Manila voted for Erap Estrada it must be the WISEST choice? That no one may express their opinion, much less opposition to Estrada as Mayor?
That’s the same kind of self-deluding argument I heard from Chavit Singson. He insists that the electorate are highly intelligent and will vote for the best person because they keep voting for him. Conversely, he says they keep voting for him so — he must be the right person for the job. That’s blind idiocy.
Hey Raul, How can you respect one like him and millions of voters when the constitution prohibits a convicted criminal from holding elected office?
What happened here is inconcievable where we are the only country who elects a felon.
Gagawin ni Erap ang ginawa niya sa San Juan. Papaunlarin niya ang Maynila at tutulungan ang mahirap.
paano nya tutulungan ang mahirap? at anong tulog maibibigay nya? can you give me a clue?
i really hope your idea of tulong is food ration, libre pabahay/kuryente/tubig/eskwela/pamasahe.
Seryoso ka? Ginawa mo na palamunin mga tao nyan.
What kind of help that clown will give? Continue da pinoys to become freeloaders while being juan tamad?
Gusto kong makita yung sinasabi mong “pag-unlad ng Maynila” sa mga susunod na buwan.
Nasaan ang mga puweba, aber?
“boughted” if there is such, is the right term. he is to be respected because he boughted the Manileno for a term of 3 years..
Getting rid of corruption by voting for a convicted plunderer is Manilenos idea of exercising their right to be stupid.
I would look at it this way: Filipinos vote who represents them. If a gambler, womanizer, and drunkard was voted into office, doesn’t it follow that the voters themselves may mostly be gamblers, womanizers, and drunkards?
the only way to domesticate a rattle snake is when its dead.
The Virtual Vigilante STRIKES AGAIN!!!
I LOVE THIS GUY!!!Viva la Virtual Vigilante!!!
QUESTION/joke:What do you call 200 members of the Filippine Congress at the bottom of the Ocean?
ANSWER:A GOOD FUCKIN START/drowned rats!
In the U.K. the palm towards the face with the index finger and middle-finger raised is the USA’s equivalent of saying. “FUCK YOU”! it was what the English did to the French solidiers who cut-off the Englishmen’s Long-Bowmen’s fingers after they were captured after losing a battle.
Think E-CRAP doesn’t know? He is laughing at YOU!!!
Gerry, I didn’t know that. How apropos. He’s raping our daughters right “in our faces” and we’re totally clueless. What more can I say? VV
We should change our Constitution that convicted criminals cannot run in public office on any levels. Does that make any sense??? How hard can that be???
If that was the case, I’m pretty sure the political arena will end up lonelier than a U-2 in flight over Soviet airspace. Not that I think it’s a bad idea.
Rafael, the presidential pardon granted by GMA to Erap was conditioned on Erap NOT running for any public office, which he obviously had no intention of fulfilling. The COMELEC and the Supreme Court were equally liable for NOT disqualifying Erap after he filed to run for any public office. Hence, we have a systemic failure of government institutions with respect to a simple (albeit high profile) act of enforcement, which paves the way for people to take the law into our own hands. VV
As much as I can’t stand Erap for his bullcrap propaganda of “helping the poor,” I want to see how he can change Manila in just a few months – Alfredo Lim did little during his last term anyway.
Erap is comparing himself to Willie Nelson, not Nelson Mandela… He didn’t know that those are 2 different people…