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By James Konstantin Galvez Reporter
Deposed former President Joseph
Estrada said Friday that he will ask the Sandiganbayan to place him
under hospital arrest or house arrest at his Greenhills home so he
can stay longer with his ailing 102-year-old mother.
Estrada arrived at San Juan
Hospital about 10:30 a.m. and proceeded directly to the Intensive
Care Unit of Greenhills Medical Center, where Dońa Mary Ejercito is
confined.
Estrada refused to answer
reporters’ questions, apparently observing the court’s order to
not give press interviews.
The hospital visit Friday is
Estrada’s third furlough since his plunder conviction in
September.
Atty. Jose Flaminiano,
Estrada’s lawyer, said they will file a motion before the
antigraft court to place him under house arrest at his mansion on
Polk Street in Greenhills or hospital arrest at San Juan Medical
Center so Estrada could spend more time with his mother.
Estrada is now detained at his
rest house in Tanay, Rizal, which is located East of Metro Manila.
“We will consider every option.
We will file a corresponding motion,” said Flaminiano, adding that
they will also ask the Sandiganbayan to allow Estrada to visit his
mother three times a week.
In a two-page resolution, the
Sandiganbayan Special Division granted Estrada a 10-hour furlough to
visit his mother who has been confined since August 10.
Estrada was advised by Dr.
Lorenzo Hocson to see his mother more often because her condition is
deteriorating rapidly.
Mrs. Ejercito has been suffering
from multiple infections and her blood pressure remains unstable.
On October 8, Estrada visited his
mom and paid more than P300,000 of her hospital bill. Estrada’s
first visit was last September 29, about two weeks after his
conviction.
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