Senator JV Ejercito on Tuesday joked about not supporting the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) after at least two resource persons in the ongoing Senate hearing mistakenly took him as his half-brother, former Senator Jinggoy Estrada.
While recognizing the presence of senators during a joint hearing on BBL, Dr. Susana Anayatin, a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, addressed Ejercito as “Senator Jinggoy.”
“Senator (Juan Miguel) Zubiri, (Sherwin) Gatchalian, (Sonny) Angara, Senator Risa (Hotiveros), Senator Jinggoy…” Anayatin said but she quickly apologized and corrected herself.
“Sorry… Senator Ejercito… This is my first time,” she said.
“I object. I think we have to end this hearing,” a wide-smiling Ejercito said in jest.
Zubiri, who was presiding over the hearing, came to Anayatin’s rescue, saying it was just a slip of the tongue.
Former Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
But just minutes after, the hearing room exploded into laughter as another resource person again mistakenly addressed Ejercito as Senator Jinggoy.
“Salamat po Sir Jinggoy, Senator Jinggoy…” said the resource person.
“Again, I object. I will not support this… how will I support this?” Ejercito again said in jest.
“I’m very, very sorry,” the resource person said.
“You repeated it twice,” Ejercito said.
Ejercito and Estrada are sons of former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada from different women. /jpv
RELATED STORY
Palace to Senate: No pressure on BBL