Aquino, Estrada meet over 2010 polls

Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – The meeting between former president Joseph Estrada and Senator Benigno “Noynoy’ Aquino III finally pushed through Sunday night in an attempt to come up with a common candidate in the 2010 presidential race as the “best scenario.”

Aquino said the meeting, held in an undisclosed house in Metro Manila, was also attended by his sisters – Ballsy, Pinky and Kris, and Estrada’s son, Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, and the host, whom he did not also identify.

There was discussion on the issue of who should give up their presidential bid but the senator refused to elaborate.

Aquino has formally declared his presidential bid while the former leader publicly expressed his desire to return to power.

“That’s a detail that I’m not at liberty to discuss,” Aquino said, describing the atmosphere of the meeting as a “very, very light,” and “very productive.”

He admitted, however, that there was initial discussion of having common candidates in all slots.

“Yung best case scenario siyempre magkaroon kayo ng [The best case scenario of course is for you to have] common candidate in all slots,” he said. “Mag yu-unite nga kami to one candidate, may mag gi-give way as a best scenario [We will unite with one candidate, someone will give way as a best scenario].”

Uniting the opposition, Aquino said, was “not that essential” as he expressed confidence that the opposition would win the presidency next year even if it would field four candidates.

Other potential candidates from the opposition aside from Aquino and Estrada were Senators Manny Villar and Francis “Chiz’ Escudero.

“Yung [The] emphasis on the opposition uniting is not that essential. 80-20 e. Eighty ang [for the] opposition, 20 kay [for] GMA [President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo] at its best. And 20 are not sure come election time so mag-divide into 4 yung 80, 20 pa rin yun di ba [so even if the opposition is divided into four, the 80 will still be 20, right]?” he pointed out.

“[So those who are saying that the opposition is not united], will not triumph? I don’t think so. That’s just the wishful thinking of the administration,” he further said.

In that meeting, Aquino said he and the former leader had a “meeting of minds” on activities we have in common that we should be fostering” like the automation and pooling of resources to prevent a possible no-election scenario.

He said they also re-affirmed that they both belonged with the opposition group.