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By Rhaydz B. Barcia, Correspondent
Goa, Camarines Sur: Former President Joseph
Estrada expressed full of hatred and tirades against President
Gloria Arroyo during the 7th commencement address in Partido State
University (PSU).
“I rejoice with you on this happy occasion
because I know and have felt the happiness attached to graduations.
As you very well know, only last year, I also graduated from
detention after more than six years of forced and painful enrollment
in various state institutions like Camp Crame, Veterans Memorial and
my own beloved alma mater, the Tanay University,” Estrada spoke
before the newly graduates of PSU here.
Estrada flew in this town on Sunday to grace the
graduation exercises of PSU and St. Anthony University in Iriga
City, the bailiwick of Deputy Speaker Rep. Arnulfo “Noli” Fuentebella
of the 3rd congressional district in Camarines Sur province.
“This is a signal of honor for me because it
is not often that prestigious institutions such as yours would
invite an ex-detainee and an ex-convict to be the commencement
speaker. I am happy however to be an ex-convict who is close to the
people than be a President isolated in Malacañang,” Estrada told
the graduates here.
“Least I be misunderstood, I wish to make very
clear that I stand before you not to campaign or seek your votes. I
speak before you as a citizen seriously concerned about our
situation, hoping that I can arouse your conscience and sound out a
loud call for activism,”
The former president who also expressed
gratitude to the President of PSU, Dr. Nita Morallo for her gracious
invitation as well as the warm reception of the people and local
officials led by his political ally Rep. Arnulfo Fuentebella.
Estrada said he was “saddened that the regime that so arrogantly
promised our people good governance has remained insensitive to the
conditions and plight of the majority of the people. “
It is a government that has isolated itself in a
web of lies and deception from our people, protected by container
vans and electric fences in Malacañang,” Estrada continued.
The former president’s visit to Camarines Sur
seemed to be an early start for campaigning for the 2010
presidential election with two-day sorties here from March 30 to
March 31.
Estrada was the guest speaker of graduation
exercises at the PSU and St. Anthony University where he encouraged
the new graduates and the people in the countryside to support
efforts aimed at ferreting out the truth regarding the scandalous
deals of ZTE-NBN, the south and north railways projects and other
graft and corruption issues against the Arroyo regime through strong
activism.
“Tinatakot nila ako na babawiin ang pardon,
kahit na ikulong ako uli ako’y magpapatulong sa aking ginagawa ang
mahalaga manahap natin ang katotohanan at hustisya. (They have
threatened to revoke the pardon, and even if they jail me once more,
I will continue the search for truth and justice that I have started
and which most important), said Estrada.
The PSU was converted from the Partido State
College to a university through the initiative of Rep. Fuentebella
who convinced former President Estrada that the 3rd district of Camarines
Sur deserved to have a university.
“As you graduate today, our nation, the only
one you have, calls upon you to be social activists who will bring
reform to this society. Our people call upon you to be defenders of
truth, vanguards of democracy, advocates of good governance and
crusaders for justice against graft and corruption, against poverty
and tyranny,” Estrada said.
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