JV Ejercito: Too many family members ran in polls

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. JV Ejercito on Saturday said there were just too many members of the Estrada family who ran in Monday’s midterm elections, which could be blamed for their crushing defeat of one of the country’s enduring political dynasties.

In a radio interview, Ejercito said the results of Monday’s elections somehow vindicated his constant objection that too many members of the family were vying for elective posts in the May 13 polls.

“From the start, I was always opposed to the idea, especially with two of us brothers running in the Senate, while others were running for city mayor and another for governor. It’s really difficult because family resources, machinery as well as focus had to be divided,” he said.

‘Don’t fight too many battles’

“As the saying goes: You don’t fight too many battles,” he added.

Based on the unofficial tally of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, Ejercito is currently placed 13th, trailing a fellow reelectionist Sen. Nancy Binay by about 225,000 votes.

His brother, Jinggoy Estrada is at 15th place, trailing JV by nearly 3 million votes.

Aside from the two senatorial candidates, the family patriarch, former President Joseph Estrada, 82, lost his bid for a third term as mayor of Manila, the country’s capital.

The Manila mayor’s granddaughter, Janella Ejercito Estrada, failed in her bid to become mayor of San Juan City, while JV’s sister, Jerika Ejercito, failed in her bid for Manila councilor.

JV’s cousin, Emilio Ramon “ER” Ejercito also lost in his bid as governor of Laguna province.

Prolonged feud

While the Commission on Elections has yet to proclaim the winning senators, Ejercito lamented that his looming failure in his reelection bid would spell doom for the number of measures he had wanted to be pursued as chair of the Senate committees on economic affairs; and on urban planning, housing and resettlement.

Ejercito believes his feud with his brother will be prolonged by their losses.

He, however, dismissed criticisms for supposedly refusing to give way in favor of his elder brother Jinggoy.

“Let us not forget that I am the incumbent senator, and I can say I worked hard while in office, and I had a clean record while in office,” he said, in an apparent shot at Estrada, who was among the senators jailed over charges of plunder for his alleged involvement in the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

Ejercito admits his failed senatorial bid is painful, which, he said, is made worse by his poor showing even in his home city of San Juan where he served as mayor for three consecutive terms, from 2001 to 2010, and congressional representative for one term.