Tuesday, September 09, 2008 Duterte joins Erap motorcade
ADDING fuel to the rumors that Davao City Mayor Rorigo Duterte has rescinded his alliance with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was the motorcade of the mayor with former president Joseph Ejercito Estrada from Ecoland to Bankerohan Monday afternoon.
Duterte went with Estrada to Barangay 5-A to visit one of the latter's staunchest supporters in the city -- Councilor Edgar Ramos Ibuyan.
Ibuyan was handpicked by Duterte to run under his local party Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod in the May 2007 elections.
Estrada, who was in Davao over the weekend to visit neighboring cities Digos and Tagum, was warmly received by Duterte during an informal meeting at the Waterfont Insular Hotel Sunday. This is a far cry from the mayor's conspicuous absences during the recent visits of President Arroyo.
Duterte, however, has not confirmed severing alliances with Arroyo.
In an interview early August, the mayor only said he has committed only to supporting the president up until 2010. The commitment was made before the 2004 elections due to the request of an unnamed friend who is an ally of the Arroyos.
"I am going to be true to my word. I will support her administration until its end. Beyond that, I do not have obligations to her," Duterte said. Estrada's supporters, on the other hand, are gathering signatures to urge Estrada to run again in 2010, the year Arroyo has to bow out.
Duterte too has always pointed out that his alliance with the president does not include joining the president's political party, having remained as a member of the PDP-Laban, his original political party.
He has likewise said in the past that Estrada remains a friend, even at the height of the plunder case against the former president.
Ibuyan, on the other hand, was ecstatic about Estrada's visit.
"Happy kaayo ko kay gibisita niya ang Bankerohan (I'm so happy because he visited Bankerohan)," Ibuyan said. His son Edgar Jr. is the current barangay captain.
Ibuyan, however, said there was nothing important discussed during the visit. "Nangumusta lang siya (He just asked how we were)," Ibuyan said. (GLP)
