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Erap confirms tandem with Binay in 2010 polls


Former President Joseph “Erap" Estrada on Tuesday said Jejomar Binay’s experience as mayor of Makati City made him his best choice for running mate in next year’s elections. “We need a man of experience. Even in the United States most governors became presidents," Estrada said as he confirmed earlier reports of an Estrada-Binay tandem in the May 2010 polls. He also said he would push through with his plan to run for president despite legal issues surrounding it since there is no longer chance that the opposition would field a single candidate. “There’s no longer chance [to unite the opposition]," Estrada told reporters during the celebration of the Senate’s 93rd anniversary.


Estrada, a former actor, was elected in 1998 with over 10 million votes, the highest vote a presidential candidate ever had in Philippine history. He was overthrown in 2001 amid corruption allegations and was sentenced to life imprisonment for plunder in October 2007. In November 2007, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who succeeded Estrada, granted him executive clemency, which also restored his political and civil rights. Since then Estrada has reiterated his eligibility to run for re-election, saying he is not covered by the election-ban under the Constitution. Estrada’s son, Senate Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy" Estrada and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, earlier in the day bared that Binay had been chosen by the former president to be his vice presidential candidate. Asked why he has chosen Binay, Estrada said the Makati mayor has proven himself as a very good local executive. “Mayor Binay has proven himself as mayor of Makati, a premier city of the Philippines," Estrada said. He likened Binay to US presidents Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, who all served as governors prior to their assumption to the White House. Estrada, a former actor, said their tandem would be “for poor people." “We are running for this position to really give the poor people the chance to improve themselves. We are here to upgrade the plight of our poor people because they have been suffering for several decades now," he said. The formal announcement of the tandem will be on October 21 at the Plaza Moriones in Tondo, Manila. - GMANews.TV
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