Former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada has been rushed to the hospital after catching COVID-19, his son confirms on Monday (March 29).
According to former senator Jinggoy Estrada, his father was rushed to the hospital last night (Sunday), where he tested positive for the virus, after feeling weak.
Erap’s other son, the former senator and San Juan representative JV Ejercito took to Twitter to inform the public of his father’s condition. Ejercito also asked the public to pray for Erap’s recovery.
Please pray for my father who has tested positive for COVID-19 and was rushed to the hospital.
Please pray for all those who are likewise fighting this virus. 🙏🏽
— JV Ejercito (@jvejercito) March 28, 2021
Meanwhile, one of Erap’s youngest sons, Jake Ejercito, echoed his older brother’s sentiments, asking the public for support in his 83-year-old father’s time of need.
Our dad, former president Joseph Estrada, tested positive for COVID-19. He’s now confined in a hospital and is in stable condition. Please pray for his recovery and the recovery of everyone affected by the virus 🙏🏼
— jake ejercito (@unoemilio) March 28, 2021
Jake says Erap is in stable condition and is recuperating.
Erap served two years as the Philippines’ president before being overthrown through the EDSA Dos protests in January 2001. After vacating the seat, he was trialed for plunder charges.
Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who took over his post, pardoned him of the said charges in 2007.
In 2013, Erap won against Alfredo Lim for the Manila mayoral elections. He served as its mayor for two terms until 2019.
Erap is now part of the thousands of new COVID-19 cases emerging in the country since the start of March. According to the Department of Health’s (DOH) tally on March 28, the total number of active cases has risen to 105,568.
As part of the Philippine Government’s response to the growing COVID-19 infections, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal have been put under an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) bubble, which starts today on March 29 and will last for a week.
To supervise this, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has deployed 9,356 officers and has set up more than a thousand checkpoints all over Greater Manila.
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