It's official: Erap joins presidential derby
By Jose Rodel Clapano (The Philippine Star) Updated December 01, 2009 12:00 AM
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MANILA, Philippines - Unfazed by threats of disqualification, former President Joseph Estrada led his ticket
yesterday in filing their certificates of candidacy (COCs) before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in
Manila, which coincided with the commemoration of Bonifacio Day.
Estrada said he and his lawyers are ready to face any disqualification case to be filed by his political
detractors.
“We are prepared for that. We got the services of legal luminaries, retired justices and the deans of different
law schools. We have been studying that for almost one year and they are one in saying I’m very much
qualified to run for the presidency,” he said.
He argued that he had only served for more than two years so the constitutional ban on “any” re-election
does not apply to him.
The Comelec refused yesterday to say whether or not Estrada is qualified to run for president next year.
“The former president has filed his COC, we accepted it as a matter of course. It’s ministerial on our part.
Again we believed that is the extent of our decision making on this matter,” said Comelec spokesman
James Jimenez.
Jimenez added that in case Estrada’s candidacy is questioned by anyone formally before the Comelec, the
agency would discuss it in the “proper proceedings.”
“To tell you frankly, I am only two years and a half. I was ousted illegally. In my opinion, any incumbent
president who had finished six years and wants to serve more than the term limit (is covered by) the ban on
reelection. The Constitution bans reelection of incumbent president to prevent her from having undue
advantage over her opponent because she has all the government resources,” the former chief executive
said.
Estrada drove his “Jeep ni Erap” from the Liwasang Bonifacio to the Comelec office, with his running mate
Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, president of the United Opposition (UNO), and the PDP-Laban senatorial
candidates as passengers.
The former president was apparently so excited over the outpouring of support that he bumped his head on
the steel railing of the jeepney.
Estrada said he is throwing his hat in the ring for the presidential elections in 2010 to repay his debt of
gratitude to the Filipino masses who had given him and his family their unconditional support even during
his incarceration.
“This will be the last phase of my life. I have no other dream but to repay the poor Filipino masses,” he said.
At 8 a.m., Estrada and his relatives, including former senator Loi Ejercito, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Jude
Estrada, Jackie Ejercito-Lopez, her husband Beaver Lopez, San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito, members of the San
Juan City Council, Binay, UNO spokesman former ambassador Ernesto Maceda, and thousands of Estrada
supporters attended Mass and offered a wreath at Bonifacio’s monument in Manila.
“You did not abandon me and I will not abandon you, too. I thank all of you for your continuous unconditional
support to me. I cannot repay my debt to all of you in life or in death. When I was jailed, I thought that I’m
alone. But I was proven wrong because you voted for my wife Loi and my son Jinggoy when they ran for the
Senate,” Estrada said.
“Beware of those candidates who are buying votes. They will take money from the government coffers tenfold
if you will sell your votes. Accept the money that they will give, but vote the candidates for the Filipino
masses,” he said.
Estrada said he and Binay are more experienced than the other candidates, having served as mayors of San
Juan and Makati, respectively, for decades.
Binay said he is banking on his experience as mayor of Makati for 20 years.
“I am 20 years mayor of Makati. Ganito po kami sa Makati (We are like this in Makati). President Estrada and
I will do that in the whole country,” he said.
Lozano re-files petition
As this developed, presidential aspirant Oliver Lozano re-filed yesterday his petition before the Comelec for
Estrada’s disqualification.
“Since former President Estrada has formally filed his certificate of candidacy, I am also re-filing my petition
for disqualification,” he told The STAR during an interview at his Quezon City residence.
Lozano said his petition is focused on the Constitutional provision, as mentioned in Article VII Section 4 of
the 1987 Constitution, that a president is not eligible for re-election.
The Marcos loyalist lawyer had earlier warned Comelec chairman Jose Melo that he will be violating the
Constitution if he allows Estrada to file his certificate of candidacy as presidential candidate in the 2010
election.
“The Constitution is very specific that the president is not eligible to run again and if chairman Melo will allow
Estrada to file his candidacy it would be an impeachable offense because it is a culpable violation of the
Constitution,” he said.
Lozano added that if the Comelec will allow the former president to file his candidacy, the issue on whether
he is qualified to run will trigger unrest between pro- and anti-Estrada forces that could lead to civil unrest.
He said the followers of the former president are already threatening to take to the streets if he will be
disqualified.
The Comelec earlier dismissed Lozano’s petition because Estrada had not yet filed his certificate of
candidacy at the time. – Perseus Echeminada, Sheila Crisostomo
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