Split by sibling politics, JV Ejercito, Erap meet briefly

AFTER admitting that he and his father have not spoken “for a long time,” reelectionist Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito had a casual conversation with former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada in a restaurant in San Juan on Tuesday.

However, Ejercito said that they did not talk about politics during their encounter, which was arranged by a family friend.

“Nothing definite,” he told the Busi

nessMirror in an interview when asked if Estrada promised to support his candidacy

“No serious talk muna [for now],” he added.

He also posted on Instagram and Facebook their brief “reunion.”

“It’s been awhile...father and son bonding,” he captioned the photo while both were holding glasses of wine.

Late last year, Ejercito left the party of his father, when he was asked to withdraw his senatorial bid to support his half-brother former Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who is working on a comeback to the Senate.

Ejercito then left his father’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) and took his oath with the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

He then said that he left the PMP because of differences in principle.

His father accompanied Jinggoy when the latter filed his certificate of candidacy.

“I don’t agree with the position of allowing two siblings [running] at the same time,” he said, as such a situation would confuse the public, to his disadvantage.

He said he is not only hoping for his father’s support, but also for his approval, following the signing into law of the Universal Health Care Act and the creation of the Department of Human Settlements, and recently, the “Act Providing for the Special Protection of Child Passengers in Motor Vehicles,” which he authored. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco