The opposition candidate said that he went back to Manila for the 76th birthday of his father, former president Joseph Estrada.
Staff of the younger Estrada said that the legislator will try to catch up with the rest of the senatorial candidates in Ilocos during the weekend for a series of motorcades and rallies.
But the lawmaker himself was uncertain whether he would be able to join his fellow UNA candidates in the Ilocos leg of their campaign, saying that he also had to be home for the birthday of his mother Guia Gomez on Saturday.
Estrada said that he has notified UNA leaders as well as Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson of his absence from the sorties in the Ilocos region.
Opposition candidates are scheduled to join Singson for lunch in Vigan City by Saturday before they hold a sortie in Plaza Burgos.
UNA has beefed up its campaign activities, scouring several Pangasinan municipalities for support on Wednesday before making its way to La Union on Friday, after two days in the vote-rich province.
Despite Estrada’s absence, opposition bets Nancy Binay, Cagayan Representative Jack Enrile, Zambales Representative Milagros Magsaysay, Senator Gregorio Honasan, former senators Ernesto Maceda, Richard Gordon and Juan Miguel Zubiri, and former Tarlac Governor Margarita Cojuangco drew a large crowd at the Eriguel Compound in Sta. Barbara in Agoo.