Ex-President Estrada catches COVID-19, rushed to hospital
MANILA, Philippines — Former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada has contracted the coronavirus on Monday morning, his sons said.
In a Facebook post, former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada said his father was diagnosed with COVID-19 and was rushed to the hospital on Sunday night.
“His condition is stable and I am asking for prayers for his immediate recovery,” he added in Filipino.
Former Sen. JV Ejercito also made a separate Facebook post asking prayers for their father.
Estrada, 83, served as the president of the country from 1998 to 2001 until his ouster in the wake of corruption allegations. The Sandiganbayan convicted Estrada of plunder in 2007, but his successor former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo granted executive clemency to Estrada, restoring his civil and political rights.
Estrada ran and won as mayor of Manila from 2013 to 2016.
On March 24, at least five Metro Manila hospitals had reported reaching near full capacity of total bed and intensive care units for COVID-19 patients in the wake of a sharp increase of COVID-19 infections in past weeks.
As of March 28, national coronavirus caseload reached 721,892 with more than 105,000 active cases. The government has since placed Metro Manila and four nearby provinces under enhanced community quarantine initially for a week. — Kristine Joy Patag
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