‘Erap still has clout in PH politics’

MALACANANG admitted on Thursday that former president and now Manila City Mayor Joseph Estrada is still a force to be reckoned with in the Philippine political scene.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that Estrada still has political clout after being the runner up in the 2010 presidential elections and winning the post as the mayor of the country’s capital.

“Kung ang pagbabatayan ay ‘yung mga aktuwal na reyalidad pampulitika, pansinin natin na noong 2010 si Pangulong Joseph Ejercito Estrada ang pumangalawa kay Pangulong Aquino, at ‘nung hinangad niya ‘yung maging alkalde (ng Maynila) ay nanalo siya. Kaya siguro malinaw naman na mayroong impluwensya si Pangulong Estrada,” Coloma said.

(If the actual political reality in the country is to be considered, former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada came second after President Aquino and he won as Manila City mayor so it is very clear that President Estrada has political influence.)

Coloma added that the opinion of Estrada on politics is still valuable as he is a former president of the country.

“Tuwing mapag-uusapan ang mga bagay pampulitika, hindi maaaring tawaran ang kahalagahan ng opinyon ng isang naging pangulo ng Pilipinas, dahil iilan lang naman ang nakatamo ng pinakamataas na posisyon na ‘yan,” the Palace official said.

(When political issues are being discussed, the opinion of a former president is valuable because there are only a few people who attained that position.)

Despite acknowledging his influence in Philippine politics, Coloma did not comment whether the former president will affect the course of the upcoming elections.

Estrada, who is one of the “three kings” of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), was absent during the official launch of the party on Wednesday.

According to UNA spokesperson Mon Ilagan, Estrada said he missed the launch because the latter had a prior engagement.

In earlier interviews, Estrada said that he is still deciding whether he will support Binay or presidential survey front runner Sen. Grace Poe, the daughter of his long-time friend late Fernando Poe Jr..