Ex-president Estrada, ex-first lady Imelda regale guests at Santiagos’ 40th

Erap, Imelda : the wedding singers. INQUIRER PHOTO/Marianne Bermudez

MANILA, Philippines—It was a show only Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago and her husband Narciso “Jun’’ Santiago Jr. could pull off.

Former President Joseph Estrada cracked his “Eraptions’’ while former First Lady Imelda Marcos rendered a Visayan song and a Perry Como favorite before VIP guests at the Santiagos’ wedding reception at the Manila Hotel on Sunday night.

It was a feat hard to top. Because how else could you gather the movers and shakers from politics, business and media in one room and get a former leader and former first lady to perform?

But it happened at the wedding reception of the feisty senator and her lawyer-husband, who renewed their marital vows at the Manila Cathedral to mark their 40th anniversary.

President Aquino, who stood as Best Man and principal sponsor former President and now Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, however, missed the program.

Mr. Aquino turned up at the Manila Hotel for the wedding reception, but had to leave earlier due to a pressing appointment. Arroyo, on the other hand, left at around 9 p.m. shortly before the Erap-Imelda show began.

As soon as he was called to speak, Estrada launched into a spiel, as if he were performing in a comedy bar, and regaled the guests with his trademark jokes.

Addressing the Santiagos, Estrada said he and his wife, former first lady Luisa “`Loi’’ Ejercito, stayed together long enough to celebrate their golden anniversary because she simply refused to listen to his song, “Please Release, Let Me Go.’’

“I’m sure you will reach that, too, (golden anniversary) because my kumpadreng Jun doesn’t have the nerve to sing that to you,’’ he addressed Mrs. Santiago, eliciting laughter.

Estrada, a principal sponsor at the wedding, then revealed to the senator that he was puzzled by the “many do’s and don’ts’’ stipulated in the wedding invitation.

“I have to be here at 5:30 for support. Then in the letter, you said `I can’t pay you. So you and Imelda …. have to sing, and you should bring your own piano and pianist,’’’ Estrada said with a chuckle.

After surveying the guests seated at the presidential table and the over 50 tables inside the hotel’s Centennial Hall, the former President, who was convicted then pardoned four years ago for plunder, was surprised to see incumbent as well as former officials.

“Ex-ambassadors, ex-senators, ex-Cabinet members; there are so many exes [here]—but among all of [you], I have the most exes. I’ve been an ex-movie actor. I’ve been an ex-mayor. I’ve been an ex-senator. I’ve been an ex-Vice President. How many? I’ve been an ex-President. I’ve been an ex-detainee,’’ he said.

Then with a chuckle, he added: “And lastly, I’m now an ex-convict. So nobody can beat me here. I’m surprised you invited me to sing. I’m never an ex-singer.’’

Again, he was greeted with applause.

Estrada then segued to Robert Goulet’s “Always You,’’ and told the groom to dedicate the song to the bride. Even the waiters stopped to listen to him.

After the song, he said he was merely a “front act’’ for the former first lady.

Estrada, who was ousted by a people’s revolt in January 2001, was convicted for plunder but was later pardoned in 2007 by his successor, Arroyo.

When her turn came, Marcos, also a principal wedding sponsor, belted out Como’s “I Wanna Give.’’ Her enthralled audience called out for more. She obliged by singing the Visayan song “Malipayong Antakna,’’ drawing loud applause.

She raised a toast and then wished the couple “happiness, good health and success.’’

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, standing in for Mr. Aquino, and bridesmaid Heart Evangelista capped the night’s performances with a duet of “Unforgettable.’’

At the Manila Cathedral, Mrs. Santiago gave the reporters a preview of the performers at the wedding reception: Estrada, Marcos, Mr. Aquino and Evangelista.

Unfortunately, Mr. Aquino had to leave for an appointment.

“If it were not for that, I would have wanted for the President to come and sing a duet with Heart Evangelista, and then I would have talked to him about certain urgent problems on our national agenda particularly the Spratly Islands dispute on which we already had a consultation,’’ she later told reporters.

In her final remarks to the guests, Mrs. Santiago read Frank Dempster Sherman’s poem “A Prayer’’ and a 16th century prayer that goes:

“Oh Lord, support us all day long, until the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, Lord, in your mercy grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last; through Jesus Christ our Lord.’’

Other principal sponsors included Vice President Jejomar Binay, Chief Justice Renato Corona, Justice Consuelo Ynares Santiago, Eduardo Cojuangco, Ma. Paz Cojuangco Teopaco, Inquirer Board Chair Marixi Prieto, Dr. Emilio Yap, Teresita Sy Coson, Felipe Gozon, Jocelyn Campos Hess and Dr. Oscar Lopez.

The powerhouse entourage also included Senator Estrada, and colleagues Loren Legarda, Ramon Revilla Jr., Antonio Trillanes IV, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Juan Miguel Zubiri and Edgardo Angara; Dr. Linnea Defensor Evangelista, Lisa Macuja Elizalde, Zenaida Lazaro and Gemma Cruz-Araneta.

Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas and wife Korina Sanchez-Roxas, Manuel Pangilinan and Evelyn R. Singson, Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. and wife Cynthia Villar stood as secondary sponsors.

Ma. Isabel Ongpin and Dr. Esperanza Cabral served as Bible readers, while the offerers included Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and Beatriz Cristina Aboitiz.

Some of them, however, skipped the reception, which began with the dinner and ended with the brief program.

For an hour, the guests bantered over Seasonal Salad with Smoked Poach Shrimp, Cream of Zucchini and Spinach, a Guyabano Sherbet, Baked Salmon, Australian Beef Tenderloin Baked in Mushroom Crust and Frozen Banana Walnut Crunch Parfait.

The senator said she was just happy that some of her guests, including bitter political foes Estrada and Arroyo, greeted one another.

“They were greeting each other very heartily. I suspected that they will great each other civilly. But they went beyond that. So that set the tone for this event,’’ she said.