Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Atienza jumps ship, joins Estrada camp

www.ManilaStandardToday.com


DEPOSED President Joseph Estrada will announce his choice of former Manila Mayor and now Environment Secretary Lito Atienza as his mayoral bet in Manila when the United Opposition-Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino party declares its proposed candidates for president, vice president and 12 senators today, the party said yesterday.

Estrada will make the announcement at the Plaza Ka Amado Hernandez in front of the Tondo Catholic Parish church starting at 5 p.m., party officials said.

Estrada, deposed by a military-backed people power revolt in 2001 and convicted of plunder in 2007, is again running for president next year with Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay as his vice president.

In another development, Estrada son and San Juan Mayor Joseph Victor Ejercito yesterday appealed to the family of slain publicist Salvador Dacer not to kowtow to Malacañang by accusing his father of having had a hand in Dacer’s killing.

The lawyer of Dacer’s daughters on Sunday said they would file a criminal complaint against Estrada for the murder of their father, who was snatched by gunmen together with his driver Emmanuel Corbito at the South Superhighway in November 2000 and then brought to Indang, Cavite, where they were slain and their bodies burned.

“It is distressing that the name of President Joseph Estrada is stringed anew with a series of cases acted upon by Malacañang to stop his bid for candidacy in the 2010 election...” Ejercito said.

Atienza aside, a three-term Manila mayor from 1998 to 2007, the party’s other aspirants are the following:

Councilor Bonjay Isip-Garcia for Manila vice mayor and the following for congressmen: Councilor Alcoriza (First District of Tondo), Councilor Ivy Varona (Second District of Tondo), Councilor Letlet Zarcal (Third District of Quiapo, Sta. Cruz, Binondo and San Nicolas), ex-Rep. Ramon Bagatsing Jr. (Fourth District of Ermita, Malate, Port Area, Paco and San Andres), and Rep. Ben Abante Jr. (Sixth District of Sta. Mesa, San Miguel, Pandacan and Sta. Ana).

The race for mayor of Manila is a three-cornered fight among Atienza, sitting Mayor Alfredo Lim, and former presidential adviser on the peace process and ex-National Police Chief Avelino Razon Jr. Tony Macapagal and Gigi Muñoz David


Source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNews.htm?f=2009/october/21/news1.isx&d=/2009/october/21

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