Ex-cabinet men gather in force to support Erap bid

Nine people who once made up former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada’s Cabinet gathered on Thursday to express support for his presidential bid. “Ever since, we’ve been solid," said former Energy Secretary Mario Tiaoqui at the Rotary Club of Manila meeting at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City. “I guess it’s just more of a reaffirmation of our continued support for the president," he added. Also present in the event were former presidential spokesman Ronaldo “Dong" Puno, Bienvenido Laguesma (Labor), Benjamin Diokno (Budget), Alberto “Quasi" Romualdez (Health), Jun Rivera (Public Works), Renato “Boy" Ampil (Customs), and Rod Reyes (Press Secretary). The former president was introduced by his former Finance secretary Jose “Titoy" Pardo, who said that Estrada continued to enjoy the solid support of his former secretaries because “he is the most transparent and most sincere" among all the presidential contenders for the 2010 polls. Pardo added that Estrada “did not have any corrupt motives" during his term that he even gave then vice president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo a Cabinet position. Mrs. Arroyo served as Estrada’s Social and Welfare Secretary before she resigned from his Cabinet in 2000 to join the ouster calls against him. Estrada, who was ousted in 2001 and convicted of plunder in 2007, has been stressing his eligibility to take a second shot at the presidency. Article VII, Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution states that, “The President shall not be eligible for any re-election. No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time." But Estrada said the Constitutional provision applies only to incumbent presidents and those who were able to serve for more than four years. "If the incumbent President Arroyo, who had already served three and a half years as president can run for reelection as president, why will Joseph Estrada, who only served for two and a half years be barred from running again?" Estrada said. In case the Commission on Elections and the Supreme Court allow him to run, he would be pitted against Sen. Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III of the Liberal Party, former Defense Chief Gilberto Teodoro of Lakas-Kampi, and Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. of the Nationalista Party, among others. – Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV