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Former Philippine President Joseph Estrada takes a break outside of his rest house in Tanay, Rizal, east of Manila Oct. 26, 2007 where he has been under house arrest for the past six and half years.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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MANILA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Sandiganbayan, the Philippine anti-graft court, on Friday approved the release of convicted former president Joseph Estrada, who was pardoned by President Arroyo, local media reported.
Estrada gained his freedom from a six-year detention.
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A supporter of former Philippine president Joseph Estrada awaits his release in Rizal, east of Manila Oct. 26, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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"In accordance with the aforesaid executive clemency,
at the terms of which the former president has accepted, let former president
Joseph Estrada be released from detention at Tanay, Rizal unless he is being
held for another charge or lawful cause, "the Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted
Sandiganbayan as saying in an online report.
Philippine President Gloria Macapacal-Arroyo on
Thursday granted pardon to Joseph Estrada, who was sentenced to life
imprisonment for plunder. Estrada was found guilt of amassing assets worthy of 4
billion pesos (about 86 million U.S. dollars) during his presidency from 1998 to
2001.
However, the court said Estrada's bank deposits and
property have yet to be forfeited by the government as part of the sentence that
was meted against him by the court's special division September 12.
Renato Bocar, Sandiganbayan spokesman, said that the
accounts that were ordered forfeited by the court -- the 545.2 million pesos
(12.4 million U.S. dollars) from the Erap Muslim Youth Foundation and the 189
million pesos from the account of Jose Velarde, Estrada's alias -- no longer
contained these deposits. Some have been closed.
The deposed president, who was convicted after a
six-year trial, submitted his request for Arroyo's pardon on Monday.
