JV Ejercito says he expected better finish

San Juan Representative Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito Estrada. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Placing 11th in the latest partial count of the votes was a surprise for United Nationalist Alliance senatorial candidate Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, but he said he was nevertheless thankful to be in the Magic 12.

Ejercito said many of his friends and supporters were in disbelief over the partial results because they had expected him to fare better.

Before the polls, Ejercito ranked as high as fourth place and only as low as eighth place.

“I’m also surprised about the results, but I’m still thankful,” Ejercito told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a phone interview.

Ejercito mused that he could have been the target of political operators who worked to bring him down, although he did not specify who these were. He noted that even in Mindanao, supposedly the bailiwick of his father, deposed President Joseph Estrada, the results were not as good as expected.

But at least he still made it to the winning circle, he said.

His concerns about being the target of operators had been a driving force behind his decision to campaign hard and make sure he would fare better in surveys, he explained.

“That’s why I worked hard to be at least No. 5 or No. 6 [in the surveys]. It’s a good thing I had a buffer,” he said.

Ejercito said it was his friends and supporters who were vocal in their disappointment with the partial results, and have been sending him messages saying as much.

These outpouring of emotion prompted him to take to his social networking accounts and post a message to boost their spirits, he said.

“To my friends, supporters, and campaign team, wanted to just finish the canvassing but been receiving calls from all over expressing their disbelief and sadness that results did not come as expected,” he said in his message. “Cheer up everyone, the more important thing is that we will pull this one through.”

According to him, his team worked hard during the campaign, which was why they were saddened by the partial count results. He was grateful for their support, he added.

“Just believe and we will make it,” he said.

Ejercito is one of three UNA senatorial candidates who are in the winning circle based on partial election results. The top-ranked is Nancy Binay, who is fifth. The third UNA candidate in the Magic 12 is re-electionist Gregorio Honasan.

Close behind in 13th place was former senator Richard Gordon, and ranking 14th was Juan Miguel Zubiri. Both are also from UNA.

The partial results have been a source of suprises, the biggest of which was the No. 1 ranking of Team PNoy’s Grace Poe.

The latest pre-election surveys had not predicted Poe to be the top vote-getter, since the distinction had gone to fellow Team PNoy candidate Loren Legarda.