Janella Ejercito-Estrada endorses Senate bids of Jinggoy, JV

MANILA, Philippines — Despite a reported feud between brothers former Senator Jinggoy Estrada and reelectionist Senator JV Ejercito, San Juan City Vice Mayor Janella Ejercito-Estrada, daughter of Estrada, endorsed both their senatorial bids.

During a campaign caravan in San Juan City of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) on Wednesday, Janella appealed to the voters in her clan’s known bailiwick to vote for her father and uncle.

“Hayaan niyo po akong mangampanya para po sa aking ama at sa akin pong tito. At alam ko naman po na mahal na mahal ng buong San Juan, ng ating mga kababayan siyempre po ang ating pong minamahal na Mr. Healthcare para po sa bayan, Senator JV Ejercito. At siyempre po wag po nating kalilimutan, ibalik po natin ang boses at tinig ng masang Pilipino sa senado, ang anak ng masa, Senator Jinggoy Estrada,” she said.

(Allow me to campaign for my father and my uncle. I know that San Juan loves Mr. Healthcare, Senator JV Ejercito. And of course, let us not forget to bring back the voice of the masses at the Senate, Senator Jinggoy Estrada.)

Janella, who is running for the city’s top post, was also earlier endorsed by Ejercito.

READ: JV Ejercito endorses San Juan City mayoral bid of Jinggoy’s daughter 

Earlier, Ejercito aired his concerns about his candidacy as his brother Jinggoy is also running for Senate. He revealed that his mother, San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez, also shared the same sentiment.

“She’s very concerned with my situation, [it’s] precarious because sabi ko nga kahapon ang hirap pala ng dalawang magkapatid [na] sabay (as I said yesterday, it’s difficult if two siblings are running for Senator),” he told reporters at the sidelines of the campaign caravan.

“Ang problema ko talaga confusion, talagang meron pa rin eh. Hopefully, ma-address yan as we go on (My problem is confusion. Hopefully, we can address that as we go on),” he added.

But Ejercito, who is lagging in recent pre-election surveys, expressed confidence that he can redeem himself once his political advertisements are released and with the newly signed laws that he authored in the Senate.

READ: JV Ejercito counting on track record to fuel reelection bid

“Ako naman confident, kasi wala pa akong political ad[vertisements] eh. So pag lumabas yung political ads ko specially pirmado na rin yung dalawang landmark bills natin. Hopefully, talagang maka-recover na,” he said, referring to the Universal Healthcare Act and the creation of a Housing Department, which were signed into law this month.

(I am confident because I still don’t have political advertisements. My two landmark bills were also signed recently. Hopefully, I can recover.)

READ: Duterte signs into law bill establishing Human Settlements Department

READ: Universal healthcare now a law

Meanwhile, Sara Duterte-Carpio said she believes the two brothers would not have any problem as their track record would speak for themselves.

“Nagkukunwarian lang yan na hindi sila magkasundo, pero alam niyo sa lahat ng pamilya kahit saan, blood is always thicker than water, kahit pa kalahati lang yan,” the Davao City mayor said when asked by reporters if it feels awkward to be in the bailiwick of the estranged brothers.

(They are just pretending that they are not in good terms, but you know in all families, blood is always thicker than water, even if they are only half-siblings.)

She was also asked if she thinks votes for the sons of Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada would be split.

“Sa tingin ko hindi eh. Kasi madami naman ang nag-iisip at madami ngayon ang tumitingin sa track record kung ano nagawa ng mga kandidato at tsaka iba yung apelyido nila — yung isa Ejercito, yung isa Estrada. At both sa kanila may nagawa sa Senado,” she said.

(I don’t think so. Many voters are now looking at candidates’ track record. They also have different surnames — one is Ejercito and the other one is Estrada. Both of them had accomplishments at the Senate.)

Estrada said he also doesn’t see any problem with him and his brother running for Senate at the same time.

“Ako, I don’t see any problem there. We both want to serve the Filipino people,” he told reporters after the event.

“Labing-dalawa naman yung pinagpipilian. Sabi ko nga time and again, kung ako lang masusunod, pwede naman kaming dalawang manalo (The voters will pick 12 candidates for Senator. I’ve said time and again that it is possible for both of us to win),” he added. /ee