Estrada moves to Manila to fight Dirty Harry

NEW RESIDENT. Former President Joseph Estrada drives a jeepney with Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno to his new house in Santa Mesa, Manila. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

No more beating around the bush: former President Joseph Estrada is running for mayor of Manila next year.

After weeks of evasive but leading talk, Estrada finally announced his mayoral run after moving to his new home on Manga Avenue in Barangay 581, in Santa Mesa, Manila, Wednesday.

Talk of Estrada challenging Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim in next year’s midterm elections has been going around since last year. But Estrada always  said he was uncertain about running for any office in the 2013 midterms.

But his intentions began to show when he bought the half-hectare property in Santa Mesa recently. He was obviously trying to meet the one-year residency requirement for local candidates.

On Wednesday, after moving into his new home, Estrada, speaking in Filipino, told reporters: “I’m here to declare my candidacy for mayor of Manila.”

His supporters greeted his declaration with a roar of approval, and repeated chants of Estrada’s nickname: “Erap!”

Estrada said he was ending his long political career by serving the people of Manila. Born in the city’s Tondo district, he had been mayor of San Juan City, senator and vice president.

One term only

He said, however, that he would serve for only one term.

“I can handle a three-year term,” he said. “I will improve Manila then I will turn it over to Vice Mayor Isko,” he said, referring to Manila Vice Mayor Francisco Domagoso, who was sitting beside him at the news conference.

Domagoso and 28 Manila councilors switched to Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) party last week, offering as an explanation “political differences” with Lim.

Lim announced on Tuesday that he would run for another term as mayor. He said he was looking for a vice mayoral running mate, as Domagoso had decamped to Estrada.

Reacting to Estrada’s move to Manila and declaration of his political plans, Lim said, “Good luck.”

Peace and order

Estrada said he would run on a platform of peace and order to attract investors to Manila. New investments would create jobs in the city, ease poverty and enable the capital to catch up with the more prosperous suburbs, he said.

Estrada “officially” moved to the Santa Mesa house Wednesday morning, arriving at the head of an entourage of his supporters and three trucks of furniture.

Estrada drove his campaign vehicle, a converted SUV marked “Jeep ni Erap,” with Domagoso riding beside him. Estrada’s wife, former senator Luisa “Loi” Estrada and daughter Jackie, rode in the passenger seat behind them. All three wore orange, Estrada’s campaign color.

The former movie action hero turned politician was greeted at his new home by former senator Ernesto Maceda, at least 25 Manila councilors, a brass band and fans carrying welcome streamers and wearing orange shirts or tops emblazoned with “We Love Erap.”

Some streamers and placards indicated that some of the supporters weren’t just neighbors in Santa Mesa but residents of Estrada’s district, Tondo.

Most of the placards carried messages of admiration in Filipino, such as “Erap aming pangarap,” but there were some that took digs at Lim: “Bawal ang Dirty sa Manila,” referring to Lim’s moniker, “Dirty Harry,” for his unconventional methods of dealing with criminals when he was an officer on the city’s police force.

For ‘change’

Santa Mesa resident Pacita Florendo, 60, said she would support Estrada in the election “for a change.” She said she was curious about Estrada’s plans for the city.

Florendo shrugged off Estrada’s record as an impeached president. “Those were just because of his political rivals. It is up to the public to judge him,” she said in Filipino.

The walled-off, gated compound was open to the public for the day, with a “boodle” lunch table and ice cream carts set up in the front yard, drawing hundreds of locals. Children freely wandered around the driveway in front and in the gardens flanking the house, though few were allowed to see the pool and the gazebo at the back.

Loi also

The house, formerly the ancestral home of the well-heeled Legarda family and political headquarters of President Ramon Magsaysay, boasts of at least three spacious common areas and at least five rooms. Ferdie Ramos, one of Estrada’s spokespersons, said the house was 60 years old and cost Estrada P80 million.

The house was already furnished, but sparsely decorated. There were tables and chairs, a piano, a flat-screen television and portraits of Estrada on the walls.

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said Estrada should have a “clear intention” to live in Manila before he can be allowed to become a registered voter and run for mayor of the city.

“Physical presence or actual occupation is required plus a clear intention to stay in the place,” Macalintal said. “Mere ownership or possession of the house in [Manila] is not enough,” Macalintal said in a text message.

Estrada said he would really live there. “I don’t know if the First Lady”—referring to his wife—“will live with me here,” he said. “But I think, yes. She might be forced to live here,” he said. Then he added, grinning, “Joke only. She’s the only one who will live with me here.”

Compliance

In an earlier interview, Ramos said Estrada would transfer his voter registration to Manila at noon today.

When he does that, Estrada meets the one-year residency requirement, Macalintal said.

“Next year’s election is going to be held on May 13. He moved to Manila on May 9, so he has already complied with the one-year residency requirement,” Macalintal said, but stressed: “Provided he will really live there, he would be seen there, and if he leaves that house, he will return there consistently.” With reports from Jerome Aning and Ann Clariz Yap, trainee