Hot Money, Warm Bodies: The Downfall of Philippine President Joseph Estrada

by Ellen Tordesillas, Greg Hutchinson

This book provides a behind-the-scenes account of those momentous days in January 2001, as well as the events that paved the way for the downfall of a popular, but tainted president. It tells the intimate details of the lifestyle of the actor-turned-politician who still thinks his libido is his only fault. The book also relates the six days of rage by Estrada loyalists at the EDSA shrine, which culminated in the storming of Malacañang one hundred days after People Power 2.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

258 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Tito Quiling, Jr.]

This was a good accompanying piece to Yabes's study on the Philippine Military post-Marcos years, and I found out that these titles ease into one another, which now, seems like a long book focusing on the Philippine Military. However, one of the most significant years by far in the Philippine presidency details the life of actor-turned-politician Joseph "Erap" Estrada as the disenfranchised leader.

The book takes a quick look at this origins as a reluctant actor, coming from a well-off background with rough tendencies and entering into the "gangster" persona when he started in the show business. This gave him leverage to try his luck in the city of San Juan, then as a senator who banked on the masses, which propelled him to the highest position in the land. In this setting, Estrada's fate seemed to roll on greatly--feeding his uncontrollable desire for women and gambling, while it appeared that his role as the President was a side job. This rather nonchalant approach to his position led to his demise, where the ones who put the "First Woman President" in Asia and seemingly supported him in his early years, were also the people who also took him out, working the reins of his ouster under the radar.