Guia Gomez, Janella Estrada, Jana Ejercito file COCs for San Juan posts

MANILA, Philippines — San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez and two scions of the Ejercito-Estrada clan filed on Thursday morning their certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the city’s top three posts.

Gomez is seeking reelection for her third and final term, while Councilor Janella Estrada is running for vice mayor. Former councilor Jana Ejercito, who’s gunning for the city’s lone congressional seat, separately filed her COC at the National Capital Region office of the Commission on Elections.

Along with 12 candidates for city councilors, they make up “Team Puso.”

Gomez, Janella and Jana’s candidacies mark the first time the clan will be fielding three of its members to the city’s top posts. They will be up against their former allies–Vice Mayor Francis Zamora and Minority Floor Leader Ronaldo Zamora.

Francis is running against Gomez, while his father Ronaldo is facing off with Jana in his third and final run for Congress. The Zamoras’ ally, Councilor Rolando Bernardo, will be up against Janella for the vice mayoralty post. The Zamoras and their allies call themselves “Team San Juan.”

Janella is the daughter of detained Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, while Jana is the niece of former President Joseph Estrada, who started his political career in 1969 as San Juan mayor.

In an interview before they filed their COC, Janella boasted of the infrastructure projects initiated during the different Ejercito-Estrada administrations, such as the San Juan Medical Center and city hall. She said the Zamora only accomplished the repainting or building of basketball courts.

Present during the COC filing were Gomez’s son Sen. JV Ejercito and Janella’s mother Precy. SFM