Estrada asks SC to junk ouster bid against him

Joseph Estrada. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Former President, now Manila Mayor Joseph has asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the bid to disqualify him in the May 2013 Manila mayoralty elections and unseat him from his current post.

In his memorandum, Estrada asked the high court to dismiss for “utter lack of merit” the petition filed against him by a certain Atty. Alicia Risos-Vidal.

Vidal went to the Supreme Court questioning the decision of the Comelec that dismissed with finality her disqualification complaint against the former president.

In her petition, Vidal insisted that Estrada’s conviction for plunder rendered him unqualified to run for public office.

The Comelec denied Vidal’s bid, saying they already ruled on the same issue when they allowed Estrada to seek the presidency again in 2010. Vidal then took her case to the Supreme Court.

Estrada, in his memorandum, said that the presidential pardon on his plunder conviction restored all his civil and political rights, including vying for Manila’s mayoralty post. The presidential pardon was granted by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2007.

“[Estrada] was granted an absolute pardon and thereby restored to his full civil and political rights, including the right to seek elective office… By its language, the pardon granted to Estrada is not conditional and is effective upon its acceptance by [Estrada], which he did on the same day.

“Hence, it explicitly restores Estrada’s ‘civil and political rights’ which include the right to vote and to be elected to public office,” the memorandum read.

Estrada added that if he would be disqualified, it would lead to a “massive disenfranchisement of votes” of those who supported him in the mayoralty race, which “should not and cannot be advocated” by the high court.

Estrada also reiterated his plea for oral arguments so that he may explain his position better.