After Grace ‘endorsement,’ Erap praises Mar

JUST a day after he titillated Sen. Grace Poe’s supporters with an apparent endorsement, deposed President and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada was seen in a huddle with Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, calling the latter “one of the most qualified” presidential candidates in next year’s elections.

Roxas and Estrada were seen sharing a light moment and obliging requests for photos during the commemoration of the 32nd death anniversary of martyred opposition leader Ninoy Aquino and the recent passing of the latter’s brother, former Sen. Butz Aquino, at La Salle Green Hills in San Juan City yesterday.

Roxas’ advantage

Estrada downplayed his exchange with Roxas, the ruling Liberal Party’s presidential standard-bearer in 2016, saying that it was because of their previous working relationship.

Roxas served as trade secre- tary in Estrada’s short-lived administration.

Estrada was full of praise for Roxas’ stint at the Department of Trade and Industry, saying that he “performed well” and was “one of the best Cabinet members I had.”

Asked if this meant that he would support Roxas’ candidacy, Estrada replied in the negative, but added that he respected the interior secretary and wished him “the best of luck.”

“He’s one of the most qualified. All of them are qualified but I believe because of his experience as congressman, Cabinet member and senator, he has that advantage,” Estrada told reporters.

But Estrada pointed out that he had yet to decide whom to support in 2016, noting that Binay is his friend, Poe is his goddaughter and Roxas is his former Cabinet secretary. But he said he would eventually have to choose. And when that time comes, Estrada said: “I’ll explain the reason why .”

Sought for comment, Roxas said his conversation with Estrada was just to thank him for the kind words he said recently.

“We exchanged well wishes and I thanked him for what he said about my performance as a member of his Cabinet,” he said.

Recent presidential voter preference surveys showed Roxas placing third or fourth to Poe, Vice President Jejomar Binay and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

During the commemoration of the 76th birth anniversary of his friend, the late Fernando Poe Jr., at the Manila North Cemetery, Estrada acknowledged the presence of Senator Poe, saying “The next...,” to which the crowd chorused “President.” Estrada then let out a lusty cheer, thanked the crowd and told them, “You really know.”

Estrada also earlier said that Roxas is proven to be “incorruptible” and of “good breeding,” being the son of former Sen. Gerry Roxas and grandson of former President Manuel Roxas.

Binay’s camp, meanwhile, said it did not consider Estrada’s teasing endorsement of Poe final.

“Let’s wait and see. We don’t want to make a guess out of it,” UNA interim president and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco said in a phone interview.

“If you want to know if it was an endorsement, ask (Estrada) directly,” he said.

‘Three Kings’

Tiangco, however, expressed hope that the three key personalities dubbed the “Three Kings”—Binay, Estrada and Senator Juan Ponce Enrile—who formed UNA as a political coalition in 2013, will remain united in the 2016 elections.

Tiangco said he had even sought the nod of Estrada before UNA was formed once again early this year, this time as the political party of Binay.

“He (Estrada) was the one who suggested we retain the name UNA,” Tiangco said.