May 11, 1998- He reached the pinnacle of his political career when he was elected President of

the Republic in the national elections. With almost 11-million Filipinos writing his name on the
ballot, his margin of victory was the biggest ever registered in Philippine electoral history.

 Speaking before millions gathered at his inaugural address in Manila, the newly-elected chief
executive said his presidency would serve the Filipino masses whose welfare had long been
neglected. A line from his speech, “Walang kaibigan, walang kumpare, walang kamag-anak,”
was a stern warning against anyone who would attempt to undermine his administration with
influence-peddling.                   

 Determined to bring his pro-poor platform to every facet of the government’s operations, he
immediately ordered the removal of all sovereign guarantees on contracts for public projects
which would require the sovereign Filipino people to assume the financial losses of private
companies doing business with the government.

Records will show that until January 20, 2001, he did not sign a single government contract with
a sovereign guarantee.

 Committed to cleaning the bureaucracy of undesirable elements, he ordered the immediate relief
of corrupt officials in the military and police hierarchy. He ordered a wide-ranging investigation
of all government contracts entered into by the previous administration to ensure these were
above-board and directly advantageous to the citizenry.

            He ordered the investigation of suspected big-time tax evaders even if some of these
individuals had contributed to his presidential campaign.

            His pro-poor program of government bore fruit in less than two years, with a significant
improvement in the country’s peace and order situation. This likewise elicited a proportionate
rise in the approval rating of the Philippine National Police.

            The Estrada administration undertook an aggressive housing program on a national basis,
targeting low-cost homes for the poor.

            Agriculture received greater priority, while the national government likewise took steps
to bring down the cost of medicine.

            Foreign investments grew exponentially, benefiting greatly from the unsullied and
esteemed reputation of the best and the brightest chosen to be part of his Cabinet, and even more
from his reputation as a strongly nationalistic yet progressive president.

            Tragically, a cabal of disgruntled businessmen dissatisfied with his pro-poor stance
joined forces with elitist members of civil society and a number of high-ranking Catholic priests
to put in motion a movement to steal his presidency by first destroying his reputation and
employing a false witness with a dubious character and shadowy background to spearhead this.
          The Senate impeachment trial, a constitutional process initiated to determine the truth
behind the allegations of corruption hurled by the false witness

in mid-January 2001, his presidency ended abruptly when prosecutors staged a walk-out after
senators voted against the opening of a document which had no bearing whatsoever on the cases
filed before the tribunal.           

With the second highest official of the land and her husband working secretly with this
group and courting the military sector’s support, things came to a head on the 20th of January
2001 with the leave of absence filed by Joseph Estrada and his temporary departure from
Malacañang.

April 25, 2001- Following the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the legality of the
Macapagal-Arroyo presidency, he was arrested at his San Juan home in the afternoon on the
strength of a warrant of arrest issued by the Sandiganbayan for the crime of plunder filed by his
political enemies.

            The painfully humiliating nature of his arrest sparked massive indignation from his
millions of supporters, many of whom converged at the EDSA Shrine to demand his release and
reinstatement.

May 1, 2001- a fraction of the estimated three-million who gathered in EDSA marched to
Malacanang to bring their case before Mrs. Arroyo but was met with brutal police and military
force.

            A long-drawn out trial before the Sandiganbayan special division gave his defense panel
the opportunity to map out in unequivocal terms the inconsistencies and impossibilities inherent
in the plunder charges filed against him, primarily on the strength of the false witness’s
testimony.

            In candid moments, however, he acknowledged the improbability of obtaining a fair

verdict from a “kangaroo court” which was widely believed to have been created for the sole
purpose of ensuring his conviction.

            His incarceration continued for more than six years, with only his place of detention
changing: the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, Camp Capinpin in Tanay, and finally at his
Tanay rest house where he remained until he was freed in October 25, 2007 on the strength of an
unconditional pardon.

            Today, Joseph Estrada – the private citizen – spends most of his hours making up for lost
time by visiting urban poor neighborhoods in what he calls a “Lakbay Pasasalamat”
(thanksgiving caravan) to thank residents for their unstinting support for him despite being away
for so long.

June to July of 2008- Estrada’s civic calendar had him bringing  humanitarian and relief
missions to several provinces severely affected by torrential rains and floods spawned by
typhoon Frank. Together with well-meaning friends and associates, Estrada toured devastated
barangays and communities in the Panay peninsula – including Iloilo, Aklan, and more recently
Romblon – to distribute relief packs of rice, medicines, and canned goods. He is likewise picking
up where his other pro-poor programs and anti-hunger advocacies left off, calling for greater
public support for initiatives that can uplift the lives of millions of Filipinos living in sub-human
conditions, at a time when successive fuel price increases and the rice price crisis threaten their
survival.