In the run-up to the 34th anniversary of EDSA 1—the people power revolt that preceded EDSA 2 or the January 2001 ousting of former president Joseph Estrada—two words sum up the flurry of social media rants of netizens: “Duterte Resign.”

It resulted in the Second EDSA People Power Revolution or EDSA 2. For four days, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos rallied in EDSA to call for Estrada's resignation.

On Jan. 19, police and military forces withdrew their support from Estrada. 

At around noon on Jan. 20, Davide swore Estrada’s constitutional successor Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo into office.

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is sworn in as the President of the Philippines by Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr.

A few hours later, Estrada and his family fled Malacañang.

Ousted president Estrada waves goodbye as he and his family leave Malacañang on January 20, 2001.

The Supreme Court on March 2, 2001, upheld the constitutionality of Estrada's resignation in a unanimous 13-0 decision in Estrada vs. Desierto.

In April 2001, when Estrada was arrested his supporters protested and messed up what would be called EDSA 3 or EDSA Tres which lasted nearly four days. 

In May 2004, Arroyo won the election and finished her full second 6-year term on June 30, 2010.

He was under house arrest until September 2007 when the Sandiganbayan found him guilty of plunder and capital offense. The anti-graft court jailed Estrada for life but allowed him to remain under house arrest pending his appeal.

More than a month later after his guilty verdict, Arroyo granted him pardon.

"I hereby grant executive clemency to Joseph Ejercito Estrada," acting Executive Secretary Ignacio Bunye said on television at 5:39 p.m. on October 25, 2007, quoting from Ms. Arroyo's order. "He is hereby restored to his civil and political rights."

Bunye, who is also the press secretary and presidential spokesperson, said the pardon would take effect upon Estrada's acceptance of it.

"I am glad that, finally, I will help our country more. It's about time to think of ways to help our poor fellow Filipinos," an elated Estrada said upon learning of the Palace announcement.

In a statement, former President Corazon Aquino said she was "happy" for Estrada and his family. "I pray that as a free man... [he] will harness the lessons he has learned from the sufferings he has endured and continue to serve our less fortunate brothers and sisters.

Reading Ms. Arroyo's order, Bunye cited three reasons for the grant of a presidential pardon.

Estrada is 70 years old and thus qualifies for clemency in keeping with the Arroyo administration's policy of releasing inmates who have reached that age, he said.

The President also considered the fact that Estrada had been under detention for six and a half years and that he "has publicly committed to no longer seek elective position or office," Bunye said.

With a left-handed stroke of a pen, Joseph Estrada on October 26, 2007, gratefully accepted a pardon from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, finally bowing to the power of a woman who had been the object of his scorn for more than six years.

Two hours after Estrada affixed his signature to the pardon document issued by Ms. Arroyo on Thursday, the Sandiganbayan sheriff handed him his release papers as a convicted plunderer.

Last night, speaking to 5,000 supporters in San Juan City, where he had king for 17 years, Estrada even made Ms. Arroyo out as his benefactor, enjoining the crowd to give her a big hand for giving him back his freedom.

"Salamat kay Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sa pagbibigay ng executive clemency at kung hindi niya ako kaharap ngayong gabi. Kaya pasalamatan natin siya. Palakpakan natin siya (Thanks to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for giving me executive clemency because without it, I would not be with you here tonight. So let's thank her. Let's applaud her)," he said.

Estrada, 70, officially became a free man at 5:30 p.m. - exactly 6 years, 9 months, 7 days, 3 hours, and 10 minutes since his fall from power in the Second EDSA Revolution.

After a brief, frenzied photo opportunity with the press, the ousted President was immediately whisked out of his Tanay, Rizal vacation estate, his place of detention for more than three years.

"There is no substitute for freedom," Estrada told reporters before leaving Tanay.

At dusk fell, a 50-vehicle convoy including police cars, media vans, and some 20 jeepneys ferrying his supporters who came from depressed areas in Metro Manila - charged down the slopes of Sierra Madre to bring the former VIP prisoner to a grand celebration awaiting him at his San Juan bailiwick.

Mobs of supporters, screaming "Erap, Erap, Erap pa rin (Still for Erap)" and jostling around his van, gave their idol a frenzied welcome in San Juan.

Most of the crowd who had been waiting for him all day in front of the San Juan City Hall cheered, ecstatic at the homecoming of Citizen Estrada.

Some cried, and some reached to touch him.

'President Arroyo'

Earlier, Estrada made several unprecedented gestures in a statement, referring to Ms. Arroyo as president, thanking her for his restored liberty, and expressing his support for her programs for the poor.

"I thank President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for granting me full, free, and absolute pardon midway through her term," Estrada said in a statement his former political adviser and co-accused Edward Serapio read before the convoy left Tanay.

"I also thank those who have demonstrated not only their genuine concern for my welfare but also for that of our people, either by asking Ms. Arroyo in the past to grant me executive clemency or by now giving wholehearted support to this grant of pardon, in the spirit of unity and reconciliation," Estrada said.

As an elected leader, Estrada said: "I am aware of the agonizing times and tough choices that Ms. Arroyo had to wade through before arriving at this executive decision."

History will vindicate

He said he also went through "excruciating times before deciding to take on her long-standing peace overtures to the political opposition."

He cited that as reason withdrew his appeal to the Sandiganbayan to reverse its September 12 verdict finding him guilty and sentencing him to spend the rest of his life in prison.

But in a remark apparently addressed to parties who criticized his pardon, Estrada said: "I believe that history will vindicate not only this executive action (of Ms. Arroyo) but my innocence as well with regard to these charges."

The former movie star and most controversial Philippine president after dictator Ferdinand Marcos said he now wished "to spend the rest of my life as plain citizen Erap."

It wasn't only Estrada who sounded grateful to Ms. Arroyo. From somewhere in Geneva, Switzerland, the traveling Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who had been harshly critical of the President before, spoke on the radio to thank her profusely.

Teary-eyed Puno

Estrada signed the pardon papers at around 3:30 p.m., according to his media coordinator Angel Gonong, who witnessed the proceedings at the tightly guarded Tanay estate and gave the media an account of what happened. The document was brought from Camp Crame by Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno via the Philippine National Police helicopter, which landed inside the property near Estrada's recently built museum and archives. The signing took just about five minutes.

Puno, who sat at the table next to Estrada, appeared teary-eyed and was even humored by his former boss. Puno had served as Estrada's own interior secretary.

Caring for mother

"Pare, thank you, cool ka lang," Estrada was heard telling Puno, according to Gonong. The signed papers were then rushed to the Sandiganbayan by a police officer via the same helicopter. Two hours later, Sandiganbayan Sheriff Ed Urieta arrived via helicopter - with the papers setting Estrada free.

Estrada's statement was read out by Serapio at the gates of his Tanay property at around noon.

Saying the country's war on poverty had yet to be won, Estrada said: "I believe I can best continue to repay our people the blessings that God has so graciously given me by supporting from hereon the programs of Mrs. Arroyo that are intended to attack generational poverty and hunger. We must now as a nation attend to our people's continuing clamor for food on their tables, roofs above their heads, and better education and health care for their children."

Release order

Estrada also indicated he would spend the next few days attending "to my foremost business at hand, which is to take care of my long ailing mother," referring to his seriously ill mother, Mary Ejercito, aged 102.

The Sandiganbayan Special Division allowed Estrada's release in a two-page order which reached Sheriff Urieta only at exactly 5 p.m.-closing time of the anti-graft court-much to the relief of Estrada's lawyer, Jose Flaminiano, who had been waiting for the papers since 9 a.m.

"In accordance with the aforesaid executive clemency, the terms of which the former President has accepted, let former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada be released from detention … unless [he is] being held for another charge or lawful cause," read the order.

The release order was signed by Presiding Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro and Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta and Godofredo Legaspi.

However, in pardoning Estrada, Ms. Arroyo declared that the forfeiture of the ousted leader’s property and money ordered by the antigraft court would remain “in force and in full.”

Forfeited assets

The antigraft court has ordered the forfeiture to the government of Estrada’s P545.291-million “jueteng” payoffs with interest, including the P200 million deposited in a bank account of the Erap Muslim Youth Foundation, the P189-million commission from the purchase of Belle Corp. shares and the “Boracay Mansion” in New Manila, Quezon City.

People flocked to the San Juan City Hall as early as Thursday evening, October 25, enduring both the heat and the drizzles just to see Estrada.

Estrada arrived at around 7:25 p.m.

Crying, smiling supporters and two marching bands – one from San Juan City and the other sent by United Opposition leader and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay- struck up a lively tune when Estrada’s convoy arrived.

He waved at the crowd before entering the City Hall with his son Mayor Joseph Victor Ejercito, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, and San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora.

Estrada had been expected at the City Hall since around 1 p.m.

But Puno, who spearheaded the talks between the Estrada and Arroyo camps, was delayed in delivering the pardon papers for Estrada to sign.

Outside the City Hall, before Estrada arrived, the mood was festive and people gathered under orange buntings and flags as though in a fiesta.

Marching bands provided live music and rendition of popular pop songs. Some loyalists danced to amuse themselves while waiting. Others carried homemade banners and pictures of the former president.

They vowed to wait for him until the kingdom came.

From the City Hall, Estrada went to the San Juan Medical Center to check on the condition of her mother, sustained by life-support machines.

Erap’s first night at No. 1 Polk Street

By Volt Contreras and Kristine L. Alave

AFTER ALL THE CHEERS (AND JEERS), it all wound down to a homecoming feast, complete with balloons and soft piano music, for the man in red.

Visibly relieved and finally away from the crowds that celebrated his release on Friday, pardoned convict Joseph Estrada savored his first evening as a free man with family, close friends, and political allies at his home in posh North Greenhills, Greenhills, San Juan City.

Prosecutors in his plunder trial, who only recently held a victory party of their own, may be shaking their heads in disbelief. Civil society leaders, who six years ago worked to have him impeached and then driven out of Malacañang, may be gnashing their teeth.

But there would be no party poopers that night.

Estrada, whose life sentence was set aside by his successor, President Macapagal-Arroyo, just six weeks after his conviction for plunder, was a gracious host once again at No. 1 Polk Street.

Mobbed minutes earlier by his townspeople at City Hall, where he gave a speech remarkably thanking Ms Arroyo and urging them to applaud her, "Erap" kept his bright red jacket on and remained the eye-catcher at the buffet dinner set on his sprawling lawn.

Sheltered from the drizzly night sky by white marquees, tables and fine cutlery were set for about 200 guests. Catering was by Via Mare. Mantle pieces, ribbons, and balloons were ordered in white and orange, the latter being Estrada's campaign color.

Music begins

The tents were set up to serve as extensions of a reception area built separately from the actual house. Estrada dined at this reception area and shared the table with his former Cabinet and Senate President Manuel Villar. Sen. Francis Escudero later joined them.

Other guests seized the moment to be photographed with the returning master of the house.

By then, a pianist had begun playing.

In one corner, an exhausted Ferdie Ramos, Estrada's lead coordinator for the media, sat on a sofa, taking his time to eat and reflecting on the day that had passed—and on the six and a half years that came before it.

Early during Estrada's detention, he had many meals with Estrada under a totally different mood, Ramos recalled.

'How did this happen?'

Back in 2001, when his boss was still being held at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, Ramos said, there were times when only the two of them would end up sharing the food served on a long table.

This was when all the visitors had left, and Estrada would have no one else for company but his then co-accused son Jinggoy and some members of his household staff.

Ramos recalled having one such lunch with Estrada at which the deposed president, barely touching his food, wondered aloud in Filipino: "What really happened, Ferdie? How did we get to this?"

That old gang of mine

The Friday night party on Estrada's first night of full freedom seemed like a gathering of "That Old Gang of Mine"—and more.

The guest list included former Press Secretary Ricardo "Dong" Puno, former Finance Secretary Jose Pardo de Tavera, former Transport Secretary Vicente Rivera, former Health Secretary Alberto Romualdez, former Labor Secretary Benny Laguesma, former Agrarian Reform Secretary Horacio "Boy" Morales, and former Public Works Secretary Gregorio Vigilar.

Also around were Sen. Loren Legarda and ex-Sen. Francisco "Kit" Tatad. Agusan del Sur Rep. Rodolfo "Ompong" Plaza, Genuine Opposition spokesperson Adel Tamano, and Ms. Arroyo's half-sister, Cielo Macapagal, also came.

Guests said the party was heavy on reminiscence and light on political talk.

Laguesma said Estrada was in "high spirits" and "very chatty," giving his guests updates on his ailing mother, the 102-year-old Mary Ejercito, who is being sustained in hospital by life-support machines.

Agonizing choice

"It was all a social party," San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo Zamora said, adding that it felt like a reunion.

"There was no politics last night. His focus was his mother," Laguesma said.

Laguesma said Estrada, who was designated by his siblings to decide whether or not to remove his mother's life support, was agonizing about the decision.

"He asked (ex-Health Secretary 'Quasi' Romualdez) for advice," Zamora said. "Quasi said, 'I don't think she's feeling any pain ... At this stage in her condition, she will just fade away. There is no need for a dramatic decision.'"

The most striking political comment Estrada made was his narration of the crowd's reaction to his speech at San Juan City Hall shortly after his release.

"When he went to San Juan to speak, he said he was thankful to Mrs. Arroyo. But the people did not applaud," Laguesma said.

Other guests said their host was "vintage Erap," cracking jokes and reminiscing about the good old days with his former Cabinet secretaries and former Ateneo classmates.

"He was really having a good time," Escudero said. "...There were even some jokes about President Arroyo."

Escudero said Estrada kidded around, especially when he talked about the new bed ordered by his wife, former Sen. Loi Ejercito, and how it was just delivered in time for his first night of freedom.

The party broke up at about 4 a.m.

'Am I still in Tanay?'

When Estrada woke up at around noon yesterday, he blinked and looked around his surroundings.

"Parang sinasabi nya, 'nasaan ako?' Akala niya nasa Tanay pa siya (It was as if he was saying, 'Where am I?' He thought he was still in Tanay)," wife Loi said, chuckling.

A security officer said they had to remind Estrada that he was not bound by restrictions anymore.