Two days ago his supporters were calling him the comeback kid. But yesterday it looked as if the disgraced former Philippine president, Mr Joseph Estrada, was not going to mastermind a miracle resurrection after all.
In his first public appearance since he was ousted from power, on Wednesday, a defiant Mr Estrada said he remained the "duly elected president".
He told a gathering of cheering supporters that he was merely "on leave" and that circumstances beyond his control had forced him out, giving rise to speculation that he was plotting his return to the presidential palace. But yesterday Mr Estrada's former presidential executive secretary firmly ruled out any political comeback and insisted that Mr Estrada was busy writing his memoirs.
Mr Ronaldo Zamora said Mr Estrada, toppled in a popular uprising on January 20th, posed no threat to the new President, Ms Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and added that his declaration that he was still president was merely an appeal to history.
On Wednesday Mr Estrada emerged from days of seclusion to rally his supporters. He claimed he had only temporarily handed over power to Ms Arroyo to prevent a bloodbath.