Malaysia's Anwar in dinner date with Cory, Erap

Malaysia's Anwar in dinner date with Cory, Erap

By ROY MEDINA
abs-cbnNEWS.com

A dinner with former Philippine presidents Corazon Aquino and Joseph Estrada will be among the highlights of the two-day visit of ex-Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim to the Philippines on Thursday and Friday.

"We'll have dinner with Cory...[and discuss] our respective country's problems, talk about general views of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Countries)," Estrada said in a telephone interview with abs-cbnNEWS.com.

Deedee Sytangco, Mrs. Aquino's spokeswoman, confirmed the dinner date.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's either tonight or tomorrow," she said.

Sytangco, however, said she has yet to be informed of the dinner's venue since Estrada is the one who will be hosting it.

Estrada, meanwhile, said that considering the short visit, he may not be able to take Anwar on a tour of the country.

Asked if he will bring Anwar to his resthouse in Tanay, Rizal, Estrada said: "No time for that...he will only be here for two days."

While Anwar is expected to be busy during his Manila visit, Estrada said he and the former deputy prime minister will have a lot to talk about.

"As you know, we were former prisoners," he said.

Anwar was jailed starting in 1999 after being found guilty for corruption and sodomy. Estrada, meanwhile, was also jailed two years for plunder after Anwar started serving his prison term.

The former Malaysian official was freed in 2004. His friend, Estrada, was released from house arrest in 2007.

A statement from Estrada spokeswoman Margaux Salcedo said Anwar will also attend a forum entitled "Islam, Politics and the Prospects for Peace" at the RCBC building in Makati.

"This (visit) is primarily for a social visit to old friends, including former President Joseph Estrada, and to attend a forum at the RCBC Makati," Salcedo added.

Salcedo described the friendship of the two former leaders as unique.

"The friendship between Anwar and Estrada is unique because their political careers run parallel lines," she said.

"Anwar is considered the 'voice of democracy in Malaysia' while Erap is considered the 'voice of democracy' in the Philippines," she added.