Erap shows campaign hardware

MANILA, Philippines - In a bid to stop speculations that he is withdrawing from the presidential race, former President Joseph Estrada yesterday showed to the public his campaign hardware.

“Is this the kind of candidate who will withdraw from the presidential race?” Estrada said, pointing to a customized mobile stage, a collapsible structure that is equipped with sound system and generator.

The sound system and generator will power the hydraulic-run stage platform that Estrada, standard-bearer of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino-United Opposition (PMP-UNO), his running-mate Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and their 12 senatorial candidates, will use in their campaign sorties all over the country.

Estrada and his party-mates are set to test-run the mobile stage during their visit to Cavite on Feb. 9, start of the campaign period.

The customized mobile stage, estimated to be worth P5 million, was donated by Estrada’s friends, a source who requested anonymity told The STAR.

Aside from the mobile stage, the second batch of 20 mobile cinema trucks are also expected to make the campaign sorties of Estrada and his party-mates more convenient.

The mobile cinema trucks will go around the country’s barangays to show for free Estrada’s box-office movie “Ang Tanging Pamilya,” the 30-minute documentary titled “Destiny” and 30-second campaign infomercials to boost his presidential bid.

Former ambassador Ernesto Maceda, Estrada’s campaign manager who joined Fr. Peter Lavin during the blessing of the customized mobile stage, said they are banking on the “drawing power” of Estrada as shown by the good showing of his movie “Ang Tanging Pamilya.”