OUSTED President Joseph Estrada yesterday named a motley lineup of 11 senatorial candidates for the United Opposition, including Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr. and actor Edu Manzano.The opposition slate would also include the ousted president’s son, Senate President pro tempore Jinggoy Estrada, and Rep. Rodolfo Plaza of Agusan del Sur.
The others named were Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares, the daughter of the late actor Fernando Poe Jr.; whistle-blower Jose de Venecia III; lawyer Aquilino Pimentel III, and coup leader Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim.
A 12th slot would likely go to Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, who would run as a guest candidate, Estrada said in a statement.
He confirmed that he wold run for president and take Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay as his running mate.
The UNO lineup includes those who were strongly identified with the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, and those who opposed him under the leadership of the late President Corazon Aquino whose son, Senator Benigno Aquino III, is also running for president next year.
Binay had earlier given up his run for the presidency to make way for Aquino.
The UNO is an alliance of two parties, Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino and Binay’s PDP-Laban.
Earlier, Estrada dashed hopes that the opposition would unite under Aquino, whose popularity skyrocketed following the death of his mother on Aug. 1.
Estrada said he was confident of victory in the May 2010 polls.
“I will not run for the presidency if I’m not sure I’ll win,” he said.
He said his edge would be his experience, having climbed the political ladder first as town mayor, a senator, and a vice president before a landslide victory as the country’s 13th president in 1998.
But his term was cut short by a military-backed popular revolt in 2001 amid accusations that he amassed wealth from illegal gambling kickbacks and shady deals amounting to about $80 million.
He was convicted of plunder and sentenced to life in jail in 2007, but President Gloria Arroyo, who played a key role in deposing him when she served as his vice president, pardoned him six weeks later. AFP, with Gigi Muñoz David
Source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNews.htm?f=2009/october/15/news4.isx&d=/2009/october/15
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