Guia: Bongbong my VP

NEARLY a month after she endorsed the presidential bid of administration candidate Mar Roxas, San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez on Monday threw her support behind vice presidential hopeful, Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., a longtime family friend and political ally.

In choosing Marcos, Gomez cited the over five decades-long friendship and political ties she and the Ejercito-Estrada clan has had with the Marcoses.

Former President Joseph Estrada started his political career in 1967 as mayor of the then municipality of San Juan, under the administration of Marcos’ father and namesake, the dictator Ferdinand Marcos.   Estrada’s partner at that time was Gomez with whom he has a child, Sen. JV Ejercito.

SAN JUAN Mayor Guia Gomez introduces her bet for vice president, Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., to city hall employees at flag-raising rites on Monday. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Estrada was among those present when Bongbong Marcos formally declared his bid for the vice presidency in Manila last year.

Gomez recalled that the two families were so close that the late President Marcos referred to her son JV as “bunso.” She described members of the Marcos family as “friends you can truly depend on.”

In July, the younger Marcos’ mother, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, paid Gomez a visit at city hall. In a previous interview, the mayor said that the former first lady just wanted to check on her.

But in a speech before city hall employees and students of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Monday, Gomez said that Mrs. Marcos came to “console” her after learning that San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora and Vice Mayor Francis Zamora had decided to end their political ties with her and her family.

“I will never forget that gesture…. In truth, we both fell victims to the treachery of those we considered friends and political allies,” Gomez said, refusing to elaborate.