Erap recalls ‘depressing’ experience at Fort Sto. Domingo

The first three months there had been the most depressing e perience of my life.

anila ayor oseph strada shared this yesterday, describing his three months of detention in ort to. omingo in ta. osa, aguna shortly after his arrest on charges of plunder before the andiganbayan.

strada, who was ousted from the presidency in , said he felt the whole world dropped on him for having been denied almost every amenity while in detention at ort to. omingo.

“It’s very far. ven the food is subjected to thorough checking. y detention cell is also surrounded with barbed wire. There was also no curtain, there was no air conditioning, cellphones were not allowed. The restrictions are very much depressing,” strada said.

The former president considered his detention in ort to. omingo as the “darkest period” of his life.

ort to. omingo is the training ground of the elite police pecial Action orce. This is where strada and former oro National iberation ront founding chairman Nur isuari were detained.

usinesswoman anet imNapoles, at the center of controversy over the P -billion pork barrel fund scam, was ordered by the court to be detained in the facility.

“I’ve been a movie superstar, mayor, senator, vice president until I became president. I’ve been there for three months. I suffered from mental torture. I cannot easily see my children, my wife, my grandchildren while my mother is still in the hospital then. I was really very depressed,” strada said.

strada said his only consolation during his months in detention was he learned to pray alone.

“There was solemnity. I even asked the ord during my prayers why it happened to me and why I was subjected to such an ordeal. I told him that soon I will be vindicated,” strada said.