MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said on Wednesday that his sons, reelectionist Senator JV Ejercito and former Senator Jinggoy Estrada, are old and wise enough to settle their issues.
After the campaign sortie of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) on Wednesday in San Andres, Manila, Estrada was asked whether he would prefer to see the two reunite.
“Of course, any father would like to see their children together. They’re old enough to know what is good for them, I gave them the best education so that they would know what’s right and what’s wrong,” the former president told reporters.
“It happens. Blood is thicker than water; they can go over this problem,” he added.
Jinggoy and JV form part of the 13-man slate of HNP, which was founded by presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
During the campaign sortie in San Andres, Duterte-Carpio jokingly introduced JV as the “enemy of Jinggoy,” referring to their well-documented feud.
“Ang susunod po ay ang kaaway ni Senator Jinggoy Estrada (The next one is the enemy of Senator Jinggoy Estrada),” Duterte-Carpio said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
However, Duterte-Carpio said issues within families are common, especially in a tight-family set-up and in a country who loves telenovelas.
The sibling feud has been going on for years, with Mayor Estrada even saying at one time that the quarrel between the half brothers was one of his greatest frustrations. In 2014, JV signed a committee report recommending the filing of charges against senators involved in the pork barrel scam.
Jinggoy was one of the senators accused of pickpocketing public money from their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
In October 2018, JV reiterated that he was more eligible to run for senator in the 2019 polls, primarily because of his stand against political dynasties. This prompted him to leave his father’s party, the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP).
READ: Will Jinggoy Estrada’s imprisonment finally end his feud with JV Ejercito?
READ: JV says he’s more eligible to run for Senate than Jinggoy
Despite these issues hounding the ex-President’s sons, recent developments point to a possibility of a reconciliation. During HNP’s first campaign sortie in Pampanga, JV and Jinggoy raised each other’s hands, although Ejercito admitted that not much has changed since then.
But in an earlier program in San Juan — their family’s bailiwick — JV endorsed the mayoralty candidacy of Vice Mayor Janella Ejercito-Estrada, daughter of Jinggoy.
Although the two did not share the stage, Jinggoy appealed to voters to put JV first before voting for him in the upcoming May 2019 midterm elections.
READ: LOOK: Amid ‘feud,’ JV, Jinggoy raise each others’ hands
READ: After campaign handshake, JV says relationship with Jinggoy ‘still same’
READ: JV Ejercito endorses San Juan City mayoral bid of Jinggoy’s daughter
READ: Jinggoy to San Juan voters: Make JV your No. 1 choice and me your No. 2
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