Why was former President Joseph Estrada pardoned?

Answer 1

President Joseph Estrada, the 3rd president of the 5th Republic of the Philippines, was accused of political corruption. He was removed from office in January 2001, while partway through an impeachment trial through a combination of the military removing its support for him, the popular movement EDSA 2 (the 2nd People Power Revolution), and the Supreme Court declaring that he had "constructively" resigned his post. Estrada was charged with plunder (corruption) and confined to house arrest in May.

He was convicted of plunder in September 2007 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He appealed the conviction but withdrew his appeal a month later when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pardoned him. Some say it was because he was ill, or because his aged mother was ill. Or maybe because Pres. Arroyo had mercy on him, seeing that he had served 6 1/2 years of house arrest prior to being brought to trial. Pres. Arroyo may have pardoned him to please Estrada's supporters and to gain votes in the next election. The timing of the plea for clemency coming so soon after his conviction by the Court and the abandonment of his appeal suggests that his lawyers must have had assurance of the pardon in advance from Pres. Arroyo.