Estrada wants life term for poll cheats

Former President Joseph Estrada

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Former President Joseph Estrada wants electoral fraud offenses to be punishable by life sentence.

Speaking to reporters before the United Nationalist Alliance’s (UNA) sortie in Baguio City, he said that the challenge for President Benigno Aquino III was to ensure “clean, honest, peaceful elections.”

“I am proposing to have electoral fraud punishable by life sentence because it suppresses the will of the people,” he said.

He claimed he have been cheated when he ran for mayor for the first time.

“Masakit madaya (Being cheated is a blow to your esteem),” Estrada said, adding that the decision for stiffer penalty was still up to Aquino.

“This must be considered a heinous crime, especially with these PCOS machines. Baka ma-hocus PCOS,” he said.