MANILA – A Catholic bishop April 19 apologized to Joseph Estrada for the hurt the Church had caused him during Edsa 2. Bishop Antonio Tobias of Novaliches issued the apology during the Mass marking Estrada’s 69th birthday at the Saint Peter’s Church in Quezon City. A few hours later, Malacanang issued a statement lamenting the apology of the bishop.

Estrada attended the Mass before proceeding to the Sandiganbayan for his plunder trial. “I hope you can forgive the Church for what happened. In the end, Mr. President, I hope you have come to terms with bishops and priests,” Tobias said during the homily. The Church had joined the protest rallies on Edsa that led to the ouster of Estrada in 2001.  Tobias said Estrada’s life is a lesson for everyone when he “failed the people in being President” and praised him for “bowing out of power to prevent bloodshed.” He advised Estrada, who was seated in the front pew beside Susan Roces, the widow of his friend Fernando Poe Jr., to ignore the clamor of his supporters for him to return to power.

Before Tobias gave the final blessing, Estrada spoke up, thanking his friends and supporters for coming to his birthday Mass and for their continuing support even during his five years in detention.
 “My love affair with the people has made me firm and strong.  No one can take that away from me,” he said. “I have come to embrace suffering not as a punishment but as a blessing.” His wife, Dr. Loi Ejercito, children Jude, Jinggoy, Jackie and her husband Beaver Lopez sat with him, as well as former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Ernie Maceda, former Sen. Loren Legarda, Ronaldo Zamora, former Agrarian Reform Secretary Horacio Morales, former Sen. Nikki Coseteng. Also in attendance were former Sen. Tito Sotto 3rd, former Sen. Francisco Tatad, Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile as well as Estrada’s fellow actors Armida Siguion-Reyna, Eddie Garcia, German Moreno, Robert Arevalo and Lorna Tolentino.