SAN JOSE DEL MONTE CITY, Bulacan , Philippines – Re-electionist Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has endorsed former President Joseph Estrada saying he is a sure winner in the coming May polls.
“I assure you Erap will win,” said Santiago referring to Estrada who is seeking another shot at the presidency after he left Malacanang in 2001.
The reelectionist senator’s pronouncement was cheered by some 3,000 residents of Pabahay 2000 housing project at Barangay Muzon here who attended the campaign rally of Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) on Wednesday night.
She also assured the crowd saying “there will be good governance in Erap’s presidency in the future.”
Like a teacher, Santiago quizzed the residents asking “sino ang tunay na mahirap” and “sino ang iboboto ninyo,” to which the residents answered in unison “si Erap.”
She also said “galit kami sa mayayaman dahil gusto nila sila lang ang magdesisyon, pero mas nakararami ang mahihirap.”
Former Senator Ernesto Maceda, the PMP campaign manager said Santiago’s pronouncement is a clear endorsement on Estrada’s second presidential bid.
“It’s a clear endorsement and it’s the first time Miriam joined Erap’s campaign rally” he said noting that the feisty senator joined the Nacionalista Party (NP) launching in Tondo in December.
Santiago is running as an independent under People’s Reform Party (PRP) which she formed for her presidential bid in 1992. She is currently a guest senatorial candidate for the NP, the PMP and the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) of businessman Eduardo Cojuangco.
During the campaign rally, reelectionist Sen. Jinggoy Estrada indirectly lambasted Sen. Manny Villar, the NP standard bearer.
He said, “may kandidato diyan na ginagaya ang tatay ko at sinasabing makamahirap siya. Ginaya na rin niya ang kulay ng partido namin, kulang na lang kanya ay bigote.”
For his part, reelectionist Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile told The STAR that majority of the masses remain loyal to Estrada.
He denied claims of political observers like Lito Banayo who claimed that Villar has stolen Erap’s “masa.”