Thursday, April 24, 2008
Hagedorn: Erap always welcome in our city (1:30 p.m.)
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY -- Stressing that a friend is a friend, Mayor Edward Hagedorn said former President Joseph Estrada is and would always remain welcome in the city.
Hagedorn issued the statement after the ruckus raised by the alleged order of Malacaņang canceling the appearance of Estrada in this year's Palarong Pambansa held at the Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex here.
Estrada was supposed to address the close to 15,000 athletes, coaches, teachers and guests during the Palaro closing rites scheduled on Saturday.
The annual sporting event kicked off last Sunday amid much fanfare and celebration in this city.
Hagedorn, who is a close friend of Estrada, said there is no need for the former leader to get a "permit" if he wants to visit the city adding that everybody is welcome to do so as long as he or she would not cause division among the people.
"Everybody is welcome here. It is unfair to say that Malacaņang ordered me to exclude the former President," said Hagedorn, a known friend and ally of Estrada.
He said even Rodolfo Lozada Jr., the Senate witness in the alleged anomaly regarding the US$329 million national broadband network (NBN) contract with China's ZTE Corporation, is welcome to visit and speak in the city.
The mayor admitted inviting Estrada to the schools' event but clarified that he was supposed to be one of the guests and not a guest speaker.
"This is a Department of Education (DepEd) affair. But since he is a friend, I requested DepEd to send him (Estrada) an invitation which they also did," he said, adding that he relayed the matter to former senator Ernesto Maceda who then informed the former Chief Executive on the matter.
But he said he has yet to talk with Estrada.
Hagedorn believed that Estrada will not dwell on politics if he could have made it to the Palaro's closing rite saying that the former president has told him he has no intention of running for any elective post in the 2010 presidential election. (AH/Sunnex) |
