Erap’s mom, Doña Mary, dead at 103

01/14/2009

Doña Mary Ejercito, mother of former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, yesterday passed away at 4.15 p.m. at the San Juan Medical Center.

Her physician on-call, Dra. Gina Bagsic, said Doña Mary died of multiple organ failure. Her kidneys shut down four days ago.

The grand old lady had been on a respirator for over a year

and was earlier down with pneumonia following possible infections from the respirator.

The doctors tried to revive Doña Mary but she was no longer responding.

President Estrada, along with all his living brothers and sisters, were by thier mother’s bedside when she passed away. Also at the hospital were Estrada’s children, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito.

The wake will be held at the St. John the Baptist Church, also known as the Pinaglabanan Church, in San Juan. Doña Mary was 103 years old.

Immediate messages of condolence were quickly expressed by friends and elected officials.

Malacañang expressed its condolences with Press Secretary Jesus Dureza saying that Doña Mary was a “grand lady” who “exemplified grace, strength of character, filial and abiding love and affection to her family and loved ones especially to the former President.”

He added that Estrada’s mother will remain an inspiration to many and will deservedly be remembered.

Deputy spokesman Lorelei Fajardo said that “Doña Mary was a good and loving matriarch and her passing is a great loss. Let us give the Ejercito family the time to grieve and honor her memory peacefully,” Fajardo said.

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