Estrada banks on old magic for his 12 senatorial bets

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA — Believing he still wields the so-called “Erap magic,” Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Thursdayannounced his 12 picks for senator in the May 9 elections, saying he would be vouching for them in the villages as he wages his own reelection campaign.

Topping Estrada’s selection is his incumbent vice mayor and now senatorial candidate Isko Moreno, who he said should be Manileños’ No. 1 choice as well since he “also came from poverty, (is) hardworking, not to mention good-looking.”

In a statement, Estrada also endorsed the following: former Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, former Akbayan partylist Rep. Risa Hontiveros, former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Francis Tolentino, Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, Sen. Serge Osmeña, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) director Joel Villanueva, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, and former senators Dick Gordon, Ping Lacson and Migz Zubiri.

Estrada earlier declared his support for the presidential bid of his goddaughter, Sen. Grace Poe, citing his close friendship with her late father and movie icon Fernando Poe Jr.

The 79-year-old city mayor and former President is also backing Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (not Poe’s running mate, Sen. Francis Escudero) as his vice presidential candidate, out of gratitude to the lawmaker’s mother Imelda. Estrada spent the early part of his political career as town mayor of San Juan during the Marcos years.

Despite being convicted for plunder in 2007 after his ouster from Malacanang six years earlier, Estrada, who received presidential pardon, garnered around 10 million votes and came in second in the 2010 presidential race, losing only to Benigno Aquino III.  SFM