President Estrada is not the only one blaming the media for his problems.
Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief Leonora "Lenny" de Jesus made the rounds of radio talk shows yesterday, denouncing on air what she claimed was a well financed and orchestrated media campaign to boot her out of Malacañang.
Admitting she indeed cried last Saturday upon reading in the papers about her impending relief as PMS chief, De Jesus said she has had enough of smear campaigns and insults.
"I cried not because I wanted to stay as PMS chief, but because the write-ups were simply too much," she said. "They keep maligning me, making it appear that I am not popular with some people."
De Jesus said President Estrada has already called her up to assure her that she stays at her present posts.
The PMS chief is concurrently the acting chairpwoman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and co-chairman of the Presidential Commission on Mass Housing (PCMH).
"It's very clear my detractors want me out of my job. That's why I am so thankful the President clarified that I am still PMS chief," she said.
De Jesus said that she will also be given the option to accept the housing secretary post or stay at the PMS once the new department is created.
Earlier, newspapers quoted Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora as saying that former University of the Philippines Prof. Aprodicio Laquian will be named as possible head of the PMS and that De Jesus will be appointed to the soon-to-be created Department of Housing.
The President had to call for a press briefing to clarify Zamora's statements.
Mr. Estrada said he also called up Zamora, and reminded him "not to pre-empt the President on possible Cabinet changes."
While De Jesus reiterated she has no quarrel with Zamora, she suspects that certain supporters of him within Malacañang were behind the smear campaign against her.
"I know some people in the Office of the President may have been paying media to attack me, destroy me. I know of some people interested in my job who have been openly bad-mouthing me," she said.
De Jesus said it was the intention of her detractors for her to get fed up and leave altogether.
"If ever I do leave, it will not be because of them. I will leave because I have my own priorities in life," she said.
Last Saturday's "Jeep ni Erap" radio program was delayed for 20 minutes because of De Jesus' non-appearance. She was among the heads of government housing agencies scheduled to discuss the government's low-cost mass housing program.
"Actually, the President called me up to ask why I failed to come to the program. At that time, however, I couldn't talk to him because I was really in tears. And it's not my habit to cry," she said.
She eventually called the President to explain why she refused to join the discussions.
"It was really played up in media that I was a reject who was not fit for any position. I have no business going to housing because this is your centerpiece program. You might as well get somebody who has a good image otherwise people will say you are not serious with your housing program," De Jesus quoted her explanation to the President.