MANILA, Philippines ? Deposed president Joseph Estrada on Tuesday said he favored the legalization of the illegal numbers game "jueteng" to help ease the plight of the poor in the country.

"I'm not tolerating it but I"m for the legalization of jueteng," Estrada said when asked how he saw jueteng vis-à-vis poverty during the Millennium Development Goals Leaders' Forum at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati City.

The former president, who was convicted of plunder for accepting jueteng kickbacks but who had been pardoned for the crime in 2007, said he wants the legalization of jueteng "until we can find alternative jobs for the people."

Estrada made it clear he was against the proliferation of jueteng during his 17 years in public office but said he changed his mind after a study showed many people would be affected if the illegal numbers game was eradicated.

"If you stop illegal gambling they might go to drugs," he also said at one point.

Estrada was the only presidential aspirant at the forum to pitch for jueteng's legalization.

Nicolas Perlas, Senator Francis Escudero, Senator Richard Gordon, and JC Delos Reyes all said they opposed illegal gambling and for this to be used as a policy tool in eradicating poverty.