VOA常速英语2007-Philippine Government Pardons Former President J
时间：2019-01-31 作者：英语课 分类：2007年VOA常速英语（十月）
Manila
25 October 2007
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo 1 has pardoned former President Joseph Estrada who was convicted in September of corruption 2 and sentenced to life in prison. Douglas Bakshian reports from Manila.
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye says the pardon was granted under an existing government policy of releasing prisoners who are 70 years old, and because Estrada has publicly committed to not run for office again.
"Executive clemency 4 to Joseph Ejercito Estrada, convicted by Sandiganbayan [anti-corruption court] of plunder 5 and imposed the penalty of reclusion 6 perpetual. He is hereby restored to his civil and political rights," said Bunye.
The action comes just days after Estrada asked Mrs. Arroyo to pardon him in what his lawyers described as the national interest. The former president had previously 7 insisted he would reject any deal with Mrs. Arroyo.
Estrada was convicted in September after a six-year trial. He was found guilty of plunder for amassing 8 millions of dollars while in office from illegal gambling 9 and taking illegal commissions from the purchase of shares by government pension funds.
The Philippine media have been giving the pardon issue heavy coverage 10 in recent days with editorials warning against the dangers of a deal favoring Estrada.
Former president Fidel Ramos also spoke 3 out on the issue. In a television interview before the pardon, Mr. Ramos said Mrs. Arroyo must carefully consider the implications.
"It would be a terrible calamity 11 to the great, great, great majority of the Filipino people who suffered from the plunder that has been proven in court after due trial, beyond reasonable doubt," said Ramos. "She must consider and weigh very carefully what ordinary people might do. What the victims of the so-called plunder might do."
The case marks a bitter chapter in Philippine politics. Estrada was pushed from power by a popular revolt in 2001 with the backing of the military, and replaced by Mrs. Arroyo, who was then vice 12 president.
A former actor, Estrada was elected in 1998 by a huge margin 13. He was popular among the country's poor who knew him from movie roles in which he played the hero of the underdog. He still popular with the masses and has always denied the charges against him.
- She continued along the path until she came to the arroyo.她沿着小路一直走到小河边。
- They had a picnic by the arroyo.他们在干枯的河床边野餐过。
- The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
- The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。
- They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
- The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
- The question of clemency would rest with the King.宽大处理问题，将由国王决定。
- They addressed to the governor a plea for clemency.他们向州长提交了宽刑的申辨书。
- The thieves hid their plunder in the cave.贼把赃物藏在山洞里。
- Trade should not serve as a means of economic plunder.贸易不应当成为经济掠夺的手段。
- Howard Hughes seems to have set the standard for today's hypochondriac celebrities' tics and reclusion. 霍华德·休斯似乎为如今强迫症名人们的怪癖和遁世树立了标杆。 来自互联网
- Howard Hughes seems to have set the standard for today's hypochondriac tics and reclusion. 霍华德？休斯(HowardHughes)似乎为如今强迫症名人们的怪癖和遁世树立了标杆。 来自互联网
- The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
- Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。
- The study of taxonomy must necessarily involve the amassing of an encyclopaedic knowledge of plants. 分类学研究一定要积累广博的植物知识。 来自辞典例句
- Build your trophy room while amassing awards and accolades. 建立您的奖杯积累奖项和荣誉。 来自互联网
- They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
- The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。
- There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
- This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。
- Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。
- The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。
- He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
- They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。