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Philippines' Estrada Says He's Still President
Deposed Philippine ruler Joseph Estrada told hundreds of cheering supporters on Wednesday he was still president but promised he would do nothing illegal to destabilise Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's new government.
"I remain the duly elected president," Estrada said, stepping out of seclusion for the first time since his January 20 ouster and referring to Arroyo only as "acting president".
He also refused calls to flee the country, saying: "I will never leave the Filipino people."
Speaking at a convention of his Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) party, Estrada denied accusations made by Arroyo on Tuesday that his supporters were plotting to destabilise her presidency.
"We will not commit acts of destabilisation or any other acts outside of what the constitution allows us," he said.
Estrada did not say if he was planning any active move to reclaim the presidency.
Estrada was deposed after the Supreme Court stripped him of his title and installed Arroyo as president, climaxing five days of a "people power" revolt in turn triggered by the collapse of Estrada's impeachment trial.
Chants of "No desertion" and "Still for Erap" burst out from the crowd he arrived at a clubhouse in the Manila district of San Juan for the convention. Estrada -- popularly known by his nickname Erap which, spelt backward, means "buddy" in Filipino -- waved back jubilantly, showing no signs of scars from his fall from grace.
NO MARCOS-STYLE EXILE
Since his ouster, the former movie actor has lived in seclusion at his private home in San Juan, avoiding all contact with the media.
He refused to follow in the footsteps of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, ousted by the first people power movement in 1986, and flee the country. Marcos lived out his last days in Hawaii.
"They forced me to resign. They are forcing me to go abroad... I promise you, I will never leave you," Estrada said.
Leaders of Congress and the influential Roman Catholic church, as well some supporters, have urged Estrada to go into exile to spare the country further turmoil.
Arroyo's government issued orders banning Estrada from leaving the country but later said it might review the ban if Estrada wanted to live abroad.
On Tuesday, Arroyo linked Estrada's supporters to an alleged plot to destabilise her government and warned she would "crush" them.
She was speaking amid rumours that disgruntled factions in the military might launch a coup to restore Estrada to power.
Defence department officials have dismissed the rumours, saying the new Arroyo administration was stable and enjoyed solid military support.
In her nationally televised speech on Tuesday evening, Arroyo also vowed to prosecute Estrada, who is facing investigation for alleged economic plunder -- an offence punishable by death.
"I am not a happy warrior but if forced, I have a sworn duty to protect and defend the constitution above everything else," she said, referring to what she said were efforts to undermine her presidency. "I shall crush you," she warned.
Estrada, who had earlier referred to Arroyo as "acting" president, which observers had suggested meant he was planning a comeback, has denied all charges against him and said he is ready to clear his name in any trial.
On Tuesday, a group of lawyers, who had acted as prosecutors in the aborted impeachment trial, said they had uncovered evidence he had amassed 10 to 15 billion pesos ($204 million to $306 million) in assets during his brief time in power.
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