A timely reminder

CHEERS TO Rappler for reminding the public about the almost forgotten plunder case against Former President now Manila Mayor Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada in 2001.

Rappler reviewed and questioned the closure of Estrada’s plunder case in a three-part special investigative report published on its website April 24, 25 and 26.

Part one of the three-part report (“No closure yet on Erap Estrada’s plunder case,” April 24) recalled the plunder case and developments in Estrada’s political career after he was granted presidential pardon. The investigative story also stressed that the “Boracay Mansion” in Quezon City was the only real property sequestered by the Sandigang Bayan despite Estrada’s conviction in the plunder case. The mansion was said to have been  built for Laarni Enriquez, a former actress known to have been Estrada’s mistress. The report also compared Estrada’s plunder case to the Napoles pork barrel case.

Part two of the story (“Elections and the Estrada wealth,” April 25) reviewed in detail Estrada’s wealth as well as his family’s. The report included the assets and liabilities of Estrada, of his wife, former senator Luisa ‘Loi’ Estrada,of his sons Senators Jose ‘Jinggoy’ Estrada and  JV Ejercito and of JV’s mother,  San Juan mayor Guia Gomez. The report was supported with interactive infographic and data matrix. The special also mentioned the slow pace of the case involving Estrada and his wife Loi filed at the Court of Appeals.

The last part of the investigative report (“Remember the ‘Boracay Mansion’?,” April 26) recounted what happened to the “Boracay Mansion” after its sequestration by the government, and stressed that Estrada has not admitted ownership of the said property.

The three-part investigative report was in-depth, well-researched and well- presented.