All in the family: Political scions in San Juan, Taguig file COCs

CLASH OF CLANS San Juan Vice Mayor Janella Estrada files her COC for mayor under the watchful eye of her father, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada (left photo). She will be up against the scion of another political clan, ex-Vice Mayor Francis Zamora. In Taguig City, director Lino Cayetano, shown with his sister, senatorial candidate Pia Cayetano, is seeking themayoralty. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE, MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

The scions of two political families have formally made known their bid to keep their clan’s hold on two of the cities in Metro Manila.

In San Juan, incumbent Vice Mayor Janella Estrada filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) for the city’s highest post on Tuesday.

She was accompanied by her father, former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who is also eyeing a comeback in next year’s senatorial race.

A throng of supporters clad in white greeted the 28-year-old Janella when she went to the San Juan Commission on Elections office with Councilor Leonardo Celles, her running mate. The pair is running under the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP).

Third generation Estrada

Should she win, Janella would be the third-generation Estrada to hold the city’s mayoral post. The first was her grandfather, former president and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who was forced to step down in 1986, following the first People Power Revolution.

Next was Jinggoy who became mayor from 1992 to 2001, while Erap’s son with incumbent Mayor Guia Gomez, Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, took over from 2001 to 2010.

“They talk about political dynasties but for me, the people still vote for us so we continue to run,” Janella told reporters. “The people want the Estradas to serve them. We have not done anything wrong.”

Her bid would pit their family anew against the Zamoras, another political clan in San Juan. Expected to file his certificate of candidacy tomorrow is former Vice Mayor Francis Zamora, who lost his mayoral bid to Gomez in 2016.

Losing by a narrow margin of around a thousand votes, Zamora filed an electoral protest against Gomez. His supporters’ petition for the conduct of a recall election was granted by Comelec although it has yet to be enforced.

Fierce rival

“I’m positive and determined in my fight against former Vice Mayor Zamora… In my five years as a politico here, I know that my constituents saw what I did for them,” Janella said.

Zamora’s father, incumbent Rep. Ronaldo Zamora of the city’s lone district, is expected to run for reelection. Janella’s party, however, will be pitting actor Eduardo Manzano against him.

During the announcement of his congressional bid at a PMP convention on Monday night, Manzano said he wanted to serve the city “under the brand of service of the Estradas.”

In Taguig City, director Lino Cayetano filed his COC for mayor on Monday, hoping to replace his sister-in-law, Lani Cayetano, who is married to his brother, former Foreign Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano.

Lino, the youngest among the four children of the late Sen. Renato Cayetano, was a barangay chair of Barangay Fort Bonifacio and representative of the city’s second district. Running with him is current Taguig Vice Mayor Ricardo “Ading” Cruz Jr.

No break for Lani

Lani, who is on her final term as mayor, will not take a break from politics.

On Tuesday, she filed her COC for representative of the city’s second district. She hopes to succeed her sister-in-law, Rep. Pia Cayetano, who is running for a Senate seat. —With a report from Dexter Cabalza