Former Filipino President Joseph Estrada, left, welcomes Anwar Ibrahim Friday, June 6, 2008 as Corazon Aquino and Datin Seri Wan Aziza look on.MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / June 6, 2008) – Former Filipino President Joseph Estrada hosted a dinner Friday for ex-Malaysian Deputy Premier Anwar Ibrahim in Manila.
Ibrahim, accompanied by his wife and opposition leader and a member of the Malaysian Parliament, Datin Seri Wan Azizah, arrived at 7 p.m. at Estrada's residence in the posh village of North Greenhills.
Former Philippine leader Corazon Aquino and her son, Senator Benigno Aquino, and other opposition figures were also in Estrada’s house to welcome Ibrahim. Former Cabinet secretaries of Estrada, Jose Pardo and Benjamin Diokno were also in the house.
Ibrahim said he was happy to see Estrada, a long time friend and political ally. “This is important to me because he is more than a friend to me, he is like a family,” he said.
Asked what he liked most about Estrada, a philanthropist, Anwar said, “It is his passion for the poor that amazes me the most. I really see his sincerity in trying to uplift the plight of the masses.”
Estrada for his part spoke good things about Ibrahim, saying, the Malaysian politician is “not only brilliant, but also sincere.”
Estrada’s spokesperson, Margaux Salcedo, said the dinner was an elaborate fine dining experience catered by French Corner Chef Billy King, but the mood was very casual and pleasant.
The dinner, she said, included lamb, roast beef, sea bass and lobster. “This was followed by an evening of song where President Estrada sang traditional Filipino songs to the delight of the Malaysians.”
“It was truly a reunion between old friends,” she said. “You could see it in their faces. They could've eaten tuyo (dried fish) and they would've been equally as happy with the occasion. They were just excited to see each other.
They probably wanted to compare notes because they had been both unjustifiably imprisoned, then now they are both released and the clamor for them both to make a comeback is so strong.”
Ibrahim’s wife said the meeting was important to them because they had wanted to visit Estrada when he was incarcerated, but they were not allowed by the government to do so.
Ibrahim attended a forum on Islam in Manila.
“This is a coming together of icons of democracy,” Estrada said, referring to the presence of Ibrahim, his wife, and Aquino who are all respected opposition leaders. No other details of the meeting were made public.
Anwar was imprisoned in 1999 in a highly controversial trial for corruption. While Estrada was also convicted of plunder in 2001. Anwar was released in 2004 and Estrada had been pardoned by President Gloria Arroyo last year. Both former leaders are still popular in their own country despite their convictions. (Mindanao Examiner)
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