Erap to lie low on politics during Noynoy's term

Former President Joseph Estrada will lie low on politics during the administration of incoming president Senator Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III, his spokesperson said on Wednesday. Estrada, who lost his renewed quest for the presidency to Aquino by over 5 million votes, will not accept any appointment in government in the next administration and will instead focus on his projects for the poor, GMA News’ JP Soriano quoted the former president’s spokesperson, Margaux Salcedo, as saying. However, Salcedo said that Estrada fully supports Aquino’s presidency, and finds no reason to lead the opposition during the incoming president’s term. Despite expressing support for the next presidency, Estrada has not yet formally conceded to Aquino, Salcedo maintained. Estrada placed second in the presidential ranking based on Congress’ official tally with over 9 million votes—5 million votes behind presidential race winner Aquino who garnered over 15 million votes.

Aquino and winning vice-presidential candidate, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, will be proclaimed at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City. Estrada, a movie personality before he first got elected as mayor of San Juan in the late 1960s and subsequently the presidency in the 1998 national elections, will also lie low on show business and refuse all upcoming movie and television projects, Salcedo said. Senator Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, the former president’s son, will read his father’s full official statement on Wednesday afternoon, she added. Estrada, who was deposed in 2001 by a popular uprising, is currently in Paris, France for a vacation, according to Salcedo. Estrada was reported to be in London early this week. — Andreo C. Calonzo/RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV