MANILA, Philippines - It will not happen again.

Former President Joseph Estrada yesterday revealed he has already laid out plans to prevent another popular uprising similar to one that ousted him from Malacañang in January 2001.

If given a fresh mandate in the May 10 elections, Estrada assured his supporters that he will not be unseated again, although he did not elaborate.

“Secret,” Estrada told GMA-7 anchor Arnold Clavio on the news program “Kandidato.”

Estrada maintained he was forced to leave Malacañang in January 2001 to prevent bloodshed.

“I did not step down for fear, but because I do not want bloodshed,” he said.

But unlike in January 2001, Estrada vowed to fight back if he gets elected in May and get even with the “conspirators” who had ousted him from power.

Estrada also maintained that he did not enrich himself during his short-lived presidency and during his more than 40 years in public service.

Estrada also said he does not owe a debt of gratitude to President Arroyo for pardoning him in October 2007, a month after he was found guilty of plunder by the Sandiganbayan.

“She is the one who has debt of gratitude for stealing the presidency from me,” Estrada said.

Estrada said he accepted the pardon from Mrs. Arroyo but maintained there is no such agreement or condition preventing him from seeking any elective office.

“There is no such agreement and I never asked for pardon,” he said.

He said the pardon could be an indication that Mrs. Arroyo realized the miscarriage of justice that transpired when he was ousted.

Estrada likened himself to national hero Andres Bonifacio, who he said is his idol.

Like Bonifacio, Estrada said he could be described as the most misunderstood man in the country.

Estrada said he would lead his own revolt against the government in case of a failure of elections, but hopes that such would not occur, and neither that of a military junta taking over government.

Estrada said during a campaign sortie in Nueva Ecija that there is no provision in the Constitution that would remedy the situation in case of a failure of elections and no proclamation of a new president would occur. – With Manny Galvez