MANILA (Reuters) - Stripped of his powers, hounded by investigators and threatened with lawsuits and imprisonment, deposed Philippine president Joseph Estrada insists he is far from politically finished.
And out in the sprawling estate in an exclusive Manila enclave where he now lives, aides still deferentially call him, "Mr President."
"Why not? I am still young. If my services are needed by the people, of course," Estrada, 63, said in an interview on Saturday when asked if he could still make a political comeback.
He sounded annoyed when asked if the country had seen the last of him.
"I don't know how relevant is your question. I have just filed my petition with the Supreme Court. How could it be over?" Three days earlier, the court heard his lawyers argue that he remained the legitimate leader -- and as such immune from lawsuits -- and that Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, now ensconced at the presidential palace, was only an "acting president."
The court has not indicated when it will rule.
Arroyo took power on January 20 when the Supreme Court swore her in after declaring the presidency vacant, capping a "people power" revolt triggered by allegations that Estrada had plundered the economy -- a charge punishable by death.
Want to learn more? http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=world&Repository=WORLD_REP&RepositoryStoryID=%2Fnews%2FIDS%2FWorld%2FOUKWD-PHILIPPINES-ESTRADA_NEW.XML
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One door closed is one door opened
One more memory fades away
Such grand dreams we all have chosen
We lost our innocence along the way
- Rose Bygrave, "Innocence"
PsychoticIckyThing.Com
And out in the sprawling estate in an exclusive Manila enclave where he now lives, aides still deferentially call him, "Mr President."
"Why not? I am still young. If my services are needed by the people, of course," Estrada, 63, said in an interview on Saturday when asked if he could still make a political comeback.
He sounded annoyed when asked if the country had seen the last of him.
"I don't know how relevant is your question. I have just filed my petition with the Supreme Court. How could it be over?" Three days earlier, the court heard his lawyers argue that he remained the legitimate leader -- and as such immune from lawsuits -- and that Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, now ensconced at the presidential palace, was only an "acting president."
The court has not indicated when it will rule.
Arroyo took power on January 20 when the Supreme Court swore her in after declaring the presidency vacant, capping a "people power" revolt triggered by allegations that Estrada had plundered the economy -- a charge punishable by death.
Want to learn more? http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=world&Repository=WORLD_REP&RepositoryStoryID=%2Fnews%2FIDS%2FWorld%2FOUKWD-PHILIPPINES-ESTRADA_NEW.XML
------------------
One door closed is one door opened
One more memory fades away
Such grand dreams we all have chosen
We lost our innocence along the way
- Rose Bygrave, "Innocence"
PsychoticIckyThing.Com