WHO IS ERAP ENDORSING FOR SENATOR IN 2010?

So far here’s the rough draft:

1. Serge Osmena

2. Adel Tamano

3. Roilo Golez

4. Ted Failon

5. Harry Roque

6. TG Guingona

7. Rolex Suplico

Senator Jinggoy Estrada may run for Vice President or may run again for Senator. Mayor JV Ejercito may run for Congress although there is a nationwide sentiment that he is already ripe for the Senate.

Estrada bares 8 opposition senatorial bets for 2010
By Jocelyn Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 06:38:00 06/09/2008

MANILA, Philippines—Two of his own sons are on the opposition senatorial slate former President Joseph Estrada bared Sunday among eight probable candidates with “unblemished” records who might run under the opposition banner in 2010.

Former Sen. Sergio Osmeña III was on top of the list, he said, followed by opposition spokesperson Adel Tamano, Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III, Iloilo Rep. Rolex Suplico, broadcaster and former Leyte Rep. Ted Failon and Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez.

“These are people who are clean to the letter. But this is not definite. Anything can change,” Estrada told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone Sunday.

“The opposition is anticorruption. So it is important our candidates are not involved in any anomalies in the government,” said Estrada, who was convicted of plunder by the Sandiganbayan last year but managed to escape imprisonment when he was immediately pardoned by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Filed under: 2010 Elections, 2010 Elections, adel tamano, erap, senators

ERAP VOWS TO STRENGTHEN OPPOSITION FOR COMMON BET IN 2010

Former president Joseph Estrada on Friday said he would focus on uniting opposition leaders to beat the administration’s presidential bet in 2010 polls after confirming that he will no longer run for a public post despite a survey result placing him as the second choice of Filipinos for president.

“Kakain ng alikabok ang mga taga-administrasyon,” Estrada said, vowing that the opposition will create a stronger slate in the next national polls.

In a July 1 to 14 survey of Pulse Asia, Vice-President Noli de Castro remained the top choice of Filipinos for president followed by Estrada. De Castro topped the survey with 22% followed by Estrada with 16%, based on a pre-selected list of presidential candidates which respondents were asked to choose from. They were followed by five senators, namely: Senators Francis Escudero, 14%; Loren Legarda, 14%; Manuel Villar, 12%; Manuel Roxas, 8% and Panfilo Lacson, 5%.

It was the first time that Pulse Asia had again included Estrada’s name in the list of presidential candidates that respondents could choose following his conviction for plunder in 2007. He was subsequently pardoned by President Arroyo and released from house arrest.

Not running?

Though he was overjoyed by the survey’s outcome, Estrada confirmed, in an interview with radio dzMM that the survey result has not encouraged him to run in the 2010 elections.

He said he would rather focus on efforts to consolidate opposition groups to come up with a strong presidential candidate.

He explained that he learned from the 2004 elections, when more than one candidate from the opposition ran for the presidential post. His close friend, late Fernando Poe Jr. who ran for president, allegedly became a victim of electoral fraud.

“The rating gathered by Sen. Loren Legarda and other opposition lawmakers, if combined, will exceed the rating received by administration Vice President Noli de Castro, thus, we just need to unify the opposition,” Estrada explained.

Estrada said that he was so grateful to the Filipino people for giving their continued support. He also added that the survey results showed that the public does not believe the charges pressed against him when he was still the president.

“I don’t know how to thank our people for showing that huge trust on me until this time,” he said.

“They all know that when I was forced to step down as president, I was offered two options: to leave the country and no cases will be filed against me, or to sign a letter where I resign as the president of the Philippines”, Estrada said adding that because his conscience was clear, he did not accept the offer. “I cannot leave our people, especially the masses who voted for me and trusted me. That’s why whatever the administration do to me, I will not leave the country.”

Times of doubt

He admitted though that there were times when he himself doubted if the people still support him.

“I really thought that the people withdrew their support when I was under house arrest, so I asked my wife, Senator ‘Loi’ Ejercito to run for a senatorial post to know if what happened has not waned the confidence of the Filipinos in me,” Estrada said.

After his wife won the election, he was relieved that the masses has not abandoned him. He said this was underlined when his son, Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, also won a seat in Senate in 2004.

“Mamatay, mabuhay si Erap, hindi makakabayad ng utang na loob sa mga mahihirap,” he ended.

Filed under: 2010 Elections, 2010 Elections, erap

ERAP: LET’S THINK FIRST OF SOLUTIONS, NOT ELECTIONS

Former President Joseph Estrada today downplayed the Pulse Asia survey results where he placed second in the list of presidentiables, saying that it is still too early to think about elections. “Instead of the elections, we should look at how to help resolve the various crises plaguing the country,” Estrada said. However, Estrada admitted that the survey results are a form of vindication for him, saying that this reflects that the people still trust him in spite of the demonizations against him for a power grab in 2001. Estrada emphasized the importance of the people’s trust, saying that this is a reflection of a leader’s relationship with the people and can only be the result of one’s genuine concern for the welfare of the public.

This was the first time that a survey for 2010 presidentiables included the name of former President Joseph Estrada. Estrada came in second at 16% only to Vice President Noli de Castro who topped the survey at 22%. Senators Chiz Escudero and Loren Legarda tied for third at 14% while Senate President Manny Villar came in fourth at 12%. Estrada has said that he has no intention of seeking the presidency in 2010 and will only consider it should the Opposition fail to present a standard bearer.

Filed under: 2010 Elections, 2010 Elections, erap

Erap back in public mind for 2010 poll

by ISAGANI DE CASTRO, JR.
abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak

Former President Joseph Estrada has become the second choice of Filipinos for president, according to a recent survey by a polling firm.

Based on a July 1 to 14 survey of Pulse Asia, Vice-President Noli de Castro remained the top choice of Filipinos for president followed by Estrada.

De Castro topped the survey with 22% followed by Estrada with 16%, based on a pre-selected list of presidential candidates which respondents were asked to choose from..

They were followed by five senators, namely:

• Senator Francis Escudero: 14%
• Senator Loren Legarda: 14%
• Senator Manuel Villar: 12%
• Senator Manuel Roxas: 8%
• Senator Panfilo Lacson: 5%

Those in the bottom of the survey were:

• Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay: 2%
• Metro Manila Development Authority Chief Bayani Fernando: 1%
• Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno: 0.2%

It was the first time that Pulse Asia had again included Estrada’s name in the list of presidential candidates that respondents could choose following his conviction for plunder in 2007. He was subsequently pardoned by President Arroyo and released from house arrest.

Hard times

In an interview with abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak, political analyst Tony Gatmaitan, head of the think-tank Political Applied Economics Research Foundation, said he’s not surprised that Estrada is back in the public mind, saying it’s a reflection of the people’s sentiments in these hard times.

“People feel poor. Who will they look to? They’ll look to somebody who they trust,” he said. “It’s a question of credibility to the poor, not pro-poor programs.”

In the latest June 27-30 survey of Social Weather Stations (SWS), self-rated poverty went up from 50% in the first quarter to 59% in the second. Around 10.6 million rated themselves poor in the survey. It wiped out gains in self-rated poverty reflected in the December 2007 survey when 46% said they were poor, the SWS said.

Man to beat

Although Vice-President De Castro is the top choice for president in the survey, Gatmaitan said he believed Estrada would still be the “man to beat” come 2010.

“Unless somebody is strong enough to beat him. He’s still the man to beat because he’s a heavyweight,” Gatmaitan said. “He’s been there before. All the others are still to be proven.”

Estrada handily won the 1998 presidential elections, winning 39% of the votes in a 10-person race. Former House Speaker Jose de Venecia of the administration party was a far second with 15%.

Together with Estrada’s trips to the provinces, Gatmaitan said these events “send a message that Erap is running” in 2010.

“Now, Erap’s candidacy is a real threat,” he said.

However, Estrada would have to overcome a legal challenge in his presidential bid since Arroyo’s pardon came with a condition that he should not run again.

Other lawyers, however, pointed out that in Arroyo’s grant of pardon, it came with the restoration of Estrada’s civil and political rights, which means he can run again in 2010.

Estrada, in a recent interview with Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Neal Cruz, said when asked about the 2010 polls: “If opposition presidential wannabes cannot agree on one candidate, I will run myself. More than one candidate will split opposition votes and they will therefore lose to the administration candidate.”

Political parties

Since presidential election is still two years away, Gatmaitan said the results of the latest Pulse Asia survey is important mainly to political parties.

“The political parties will have to choose among party members,” he said.

The presidential survey would have a big impact on administration parties such as Lakas and KAMPI since 8 out of 10 in the list are not members of these two parties.

Only Fernando and Puno, the tailenders, are members of administration parties.

Vice-President De Castro is not a member of these administration parties.

Vice-Presidential choice

In the choices for vice-president, four incumbent senators topped the list:

• Escudero: 25%
• Legarda: 23%
• Francis Pangilinan: 11%
• Jose ‘Jinggoy’ Estrada: 9%
• Senator Ramon Revilla and Makati City Mayor Binay and Batangas Gov.Vilma Santos were tied in fifth place.

Tandems

When asked to choose from three presidential tandems, the survey results were:

• Legarda-Escudero tandem: 40%
• Villar-De Castro tandem: 26%
• Roxas-Pangilinan tandem: 13%

The Pulse Asia’s nationwide survey of 1,200 adults was conducted July 1 to 14. It had a margin of error of plus/minus 3 percent. – with a report from LYNDA JUMILLA, ABS-CBN News

Filed under: 2010 Elections, 2010 Elections, erap