FORMER President Corazon Aquino publicly apologized this afternoon to former President Joseph Estrada for leading the second people power revolt in 2001 or “EDSA 2” that ousted him and installed Gloria Arroyo in the presidency.
“I am one of those who pleads guilty for the 2001 uprising,” the ailing Aquino said in her brief remarks at the launching of former Speaker Jose de Venecia’s autobiography at the Podium at the Ortigas Center. (Listen to the remarks of former presidents Corazon Aquino, Joseph Estrada and Fidel Ramos)
Addressing Estrada who reiterated in a speech he gave right before Aquino’s remarks that his ouster–or “constructive resignation” as the Supreme Court had called it—was unconstitutional, Aquino said, “Lahat naman tayo nagkakamali. Patawarin mo na lang ako (We all make mistakes. Please forgive me).”
Aquino, acknowledged as an icon of democracy, then thanked De Venecia for “coming out at last.” She was referring to De Venecia’s autobiography as well as testimony before the House of Representatives on the rampant bribery and corruption in the Arroyo administration.
Aquino and Estrada have called for Arroyo’s ouster and are opposing moves in Congress to amend the Constitution to extend the president’s term of office.
“Matagal na kitang hinihintay na sumali sa amin (I’ve been waiting for you to join us). So better late than never,” Aquino told De Venecia.
Earlier in his speech, which left the audience in stitches, Estrada jokingly said he was granting De Venecia “full and absolute pardon” for joining EDSA 2 in exercise of his “executive privilege.”
De Venecia lost to Estrada in the 1998 presidential elections. Estrada was impeached on plunder and corruption charges in late 2000 and was being tried by the Senate when EDSA 2 broke out in January 2001.
Also present at the launching of De Venecia’s Global Filipino: The Authorized Biography of Jose de Venecia Jr., the Visionary Five-Time Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines was former President Fidel Ramos.–Yvonne T. Chua
Photo by Ellen Tordesillas