Estradas, Zamoras to face off in San Juan

MANILA, Philippines - Former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada’s family will face off against the family of his former ally, Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, in San Juan in next year’s elections.

“I’m happy that we are now united. I have good feeling of their chances in the coming political exercise,” said Estrada, a guest at the unity convention of his partner, San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez, at the Flying V Arena yesterday.

“We have been strong in the past elections, much more now that we are united,” he added.

The Estradas ruled San Juan City for 46 years and Vice Mayor Francis Zamora, the lawmaker’s son, wants to end this in the 2016 polls.

Gomez, who will run for reelection under the Partidong Magdiwang, will be joined by her vice mayoral bet, Councilor Janella Ejercito. Janella is the daughter of jailed Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, the elder Estrada’s son by his wife, former senator Loi Estrada.

There are yet no other vice mayoral candidates.

Estrada’s niece, Jana Ejercito, will challenge the elder Zamora for the lone congressional seat in San Juan. She ran but lost against Zamora in 2013.

The elder Estrada said the Zamoras are not natives of San Juan and “it was I who introduced them to the electorate.”

He said he made the elder Zamora his executive secretary during his presidency and Jinggoy got mad at Zamora because the latter abandoned him during “his most difficult time in Malacañang.” Estrada was ousted in 2001.

“He was the first person who abandoned me despite of what I have done to them politically. They are ungrateful,” Estrada said.

The Zamoras are the cause of a bitter quarrel between Jinggoy and Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Gomez’s son by Estrada.

Estrada denied the Zamoras’ allegations that his family is building a political dynasty in San Juan.

“A dynasty means a position is passed on or inherited. Our positions are not, because the people choose,” he said.