Plan to drop ‘guests’ not yet final–Estrada

Former President Joseph Estrada.. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The plan of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) to drop common senatorial bets Grace Poe and Senators Francis Escudero and Loren Legarda was not yet final, former President Joseph Estrada said Friday.

In an interview at the signing of an election covenant organized by the Commission on Elections by local candidates in Manila, Estrada said the decision to drop the three candidates will come from the three bigwigs of UNA, namely Vice-President Jejomar Binay, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and him.

Estrada was also asked up to when the UNA leadership would tolerate the common bets’ failure to attend their campaign sortie.

Patience tested

“We cannot say how long we can tolerate their nonattendance of our campaign sorties, but decision will be made soon,” he replied.

As of this time, he said, no decision on the fate of the three common bets have been made, but if ever this will come from the three acknowledged UNA leaders.

“The three of us have to discuss their possible exclusion from the UNA slate,” Estrada said.

Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco UNA campaign manager had earlier said that Poe, Escudero and Legarda should decide whether they would exclusively campaign for Liberal Party and not join UNA rallies.