The Supreme Court of the Philippines dismissed on Wednesday the disqualification case against Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada with the final voting 11-3 in favor for the former President to stay as the head of the city of Manila’s executive branch of government. During an earlier interview, Mayor Estrada was confident he will remain in his position for the rest of his term.
According to the former President he has the pardon from former President Gloria Arroyo which fully restored his civil and political rights.
The Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) that junked the petition of lawyer Alicia Risos-Vidal, who said that Joseph Estrada’s conviction for Plunder effectively disqualified him to run for and hold a public office.
According to the decision of the COMELEC, Vidal’s issue is “glaringly similar or intertwined” with previous disqualification cases in 2010, when the former President ran for the Presidency anew and has been dismissed by the high courts.
The victory of Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada caused a celebrations in the city of Manila, as friends, and staff of Estrada celebrated with orange balloons and “Erap Pa Rin” chants.