Erap: Binay is my candidate

MANILA, Philippines - Former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said yesterday he would run again for president should the Aquino administration take Vice President Jejomar Binay as its presidential candidate in the 2016 elections.

Estrada told The STAR he would forego his plan to retire from politics should Binay run under the administration Liberal Party.

“The opposition will be orphaned and left alone should that happened. Anything can happen in this administration. I am ready to that possibility,” Estrada said.

Estrada said though that making Binay as the administration candidate would be the only reason for him not to retire from politics.

“I will definitely run again for president should he (Binay) is taken as the administration’s presidential candidate. The opposition will be left with no other candidates. But Vice President Binay will be my candidate in 2016 if that will not happen,” Estrada said.

“The administration has no solid presidential candidate in 2016,” he added.

Binay ran and won as vice president in tandem with Estrada under the United Nationalist Alliance in the 2010 elections.

He also maintained his closeness to the Aquinos from whom, as Binay has said, he owed his success in his political career.