DAGUPAN CITY -- Reelectionist Senator Jinggoy Estrada said he is far different from the son of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“When my father (Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada) was president of the country, I never meddled in the affairs of Malacañang. Hindi ako pumupunta sa Malacañang kung hindi ipinapatawag ni president. At higit sa lahat, hindi ako natutulong sa Malacañang.”
Estrada’s eldest son issued this statement in answer to the question of a listener at Aksyon Radyo Pangasinan where he and fellow senatorial candidate JV Bautista were interviewed live Thursday noon.
The listener sent a text message asking Jinggoy how different he is from Mikey, the eldest son of Arroyo.
Mikey is the incumbent congressman at the second district of Pampanga. The President is seeking a congressional seat at the same district in the coming May elections.
Bautista said Jinggoy is too humble and modest to make “a point by point differences.”
“Malayo siyang mas magaling sa kanilang dalawa. Sa Pampanga lang nanalo yong isa samantalang sa buong Pilipinas nanalo si Jinggoy. He holds the second highest position in the Senate, he is an experienced executive officer having served as mayor of San Juan. Jinggoy is a multi-awarded actor samantalang yong isa ay arti-artista lang,” he remarked.
With the start of the nationwide campaign, Jinggoy said what the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) is doing for the meantime is to hold motorcades and mini-rallies.
On Wednesday, Erap and other members of the PMP lineup motored around the third congressional district of Pangasinan, the bailiwick of his best friend, the late Fernando Poe Jr., a native of San Carlos City.
On Thursday, Jinggoy and Bautista went around the second district, starting here (which is part of the fourth district), the bailiwick of their fellow PMP senatorial candidate Jose “Joey” de Venecia III.
Next in their itinerary is La Union province down to Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte.
There may be very few local candidates running under PMP in the province of Pangasinan and in other provinces for that matter, but the senator is confident the people will elect Erap back to Malacañang.
“Kami ay naniniwala na ang taong bayan lalo na ang masang Pilipino ay susuportahan si Pangulong Erap. Sa aking pag-iikot maganda naman ang tanggap sa amin lalong lalo na kay president Erap,” he remarked.
Among Erap’s allies in Pangasinan are Mangatarem Mayor Teddy Cruz (who accompanied them to their sorties here), and the Pulidos of Anda town led by Board Member Alicia Pulido (who is running for mayor) and her daughter broadcaster Maki Pulido who is running for congressman at the first congressional district.