Deposed President Joseph Estrada doesn’t exactly mind losing in the so-called “Star Wars” against the front-runners in the presidential race, Senators Manuel Villar and Benigno Aquino III.
All but abandoned by his celebrity comrades, Estrada is taking their absence lightly in his campaign sorties around the country.
“Not really,” he replied when asked if he missed his show biz campaigners.
So far, he’s stuck with the likes of Rez Cortez, Faith Cuneta, Rico Puno, Marissa Sanchez and the occasional presence of Lorna Tolentino and Tirso Cruz III.
In contrast, Villar has comedy king Dolphy and singing sensation Sarah Geronimo, while Aquino has his sister Kris, Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera, and a seemingly endless stream of many other entertainment personalities.
Nostalgic
If there’s one person he sorely missed, Estrada said it would definitely be his longtime best friend, the late Fernando Poe Jr.
“When I [first] ran [for president] in 1998, he was always with me whenever I went,” he told reporters in Filipino in his campaign sortie in Biñan, Laguna.
Estrada, 72, an actor himself, is seeking a return to Malacañang after winning the presidency in 1998 but losing it three years later during a “people power” uprising. He was convicted of plunder in 2007 but received pardon from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo shortly after the verdict.
In 2004, Poe acceded to Estrada’s request that he run for president only to figure in a highly disputed defeat against Ms Arroyo. Poe, who was known as “Da King” in the local movie industry, died from a stroke in 2005.
The proclamation rally at Biñan’s packed covered court on Tuesday night was a bit nostalgic for the Estrada sortie.
Cortez, a leading campaigner for Poe in 2004, led the crowd of some 500 people in chanting “FPJ! FPJ!” He said it would be their way of reliving the presidential campaign of the late actor.
“Let’s try again!” he told the crowd in Filipino. He introduced Estrada by saying: “The person who will continue FPJ’s dream, of a new dawn, no other than Erap!”
Competing with stars
In his campaign speeches, Estrada often mentions his bosom buddy, especially in reference to alleged cheating in 2004.
Ms Arroyo allegedly stole votes based on the infamous “Hello Garci” recordings. She had admitted phoning an election official, but denied rigging the elections.
The absence of celebrities on Tuesday was anything but pronounced, considering that Estrada’s camp relies mainly on his own drawing power anyway.
Lawyer JV Bautista, who is in Estrada’s senatorial ticket, acknowledged in his own campaign speeches in Batangas and Laguna that “it’s very hard to campaign” in the company of celebrities.
Cielo Macapagal
In Pampanga, Estrada said he was confident of a victory in the home province of Ms Arroyo, the half-sister of his local campaign manager, Cielo Macapagal.
Cielo Macapagal’s mother was Purita de la Rosa while Ms Arroyo’s was Eva Macaraeg.
“We can sweep Pampanga because of Cielo Macapagal, the original daughter of President Diosdado Macapagal,” he told reporters.
Asked why he described Macapagal as such, Estrada laughingly said, “She’s the eldest.”
“I’m going to win here,” Estrada said. “At the height of my [acting] career with [Poe], our movies were the strongest in the theaters here.”
Asked why she is supporting Estrada, Cielo Macapagal said: “I’ve known President Joseph Estrada since I was a young girl. [Estrada’s brother] George Estregan was my classmate in high school in St. John.”
Opposite sides politically
She said she grew up in Estrada’s hometown in San Juan, Metro Manila.
In 1998, Estrada won over Ms Arroyo in the elections in Pampanga. But Macapagal lost in the gubernatorial race.
Macapagal said she was now in good terms with Ms Arroyo.
“We’ve always been on opposite sides [politically],” she said. “But I don’t want us to fight over this because I love her.”
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