‘Ate Guy’ calls on Estrada to resign

Erap’s no longer her guy.

Screen superstar Nora Aunor broke ties with President Estrada yesterday, and called for the immediate ouster of the man she described as a woman beater.

Aunor, Nora Villamayor in real life, announced her withdrawal of support for Mr. Estrada, her former leading man, at the Quezon City office of the militant opposition group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan). She later joined other protest groups at the Our Lady of EDSA Shrine in Ortigas.

"Had he run the country well, we would not have arrived at this situation," said the popular actress as she put on a white "Resign" t-shirt to the loud cheers of supporters.

Among the movies Aunor did with Mr. Estrada was the box-office hit "Erap is my Guy." "Guy" is Aunor’s nickname. The two reportedly also had an off-screen romance.

The 47-year-old Aunor told a news conference that she regretted having campaigned for Mr. Estrada in the 1998 presidential elections.

"I feel so sad that he blew it," she said. "I know he will be hurt by my actions but this is an issue of principles."

She pointed out that no person or group pressured her to abandon the President.

The actress called on those still supporting the President to join her.

"Please come with us because what we are fighting for is the truth," she said.

Aunor, who had once been romantically linked to Mr. Estrada, claimed there were incidents where the former action star beat women.

"What I know is, he beats people. Women. Men. There were such incidents," she said. "I have but one request. Give us women respect."
Aunor said she ended up "black and blue" from one such physical assault, but would not elaborate, saying the incident still pained her.

However, Malacañang quickly rejected her allegations, saying the actress had an ax to grind against the President, whose party coalition had refused to back her in the upcoming local elections.

Aunor had announced plans to run for governor of Camarines Sur.

Acting Press Secretary Mike Toledo said Aunor was another "Chavit," who turned against the President for not granting her a favor.

Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson, a former close friend of the President, claimed Mr. Estrada received payoffs from illegal gambling operations and tobacco taxes. The expose, which followed an alleged threat to his life and differences over the control of gambling operations in his province, triggered the impeachment trial.

"She (Aunor) has no evidence to prove her claims. You know it seems this is a season for Erap-bashing," Toledo said.

He said the President was "surprised and quite disappointed" upon hearing of Aunor’s defection.

"Obviously it hurts to hear such things from a friend, especially if they are untrue," Toledo added.

Aunor said she had long been detached from the President, even before Singson’s expose.

The final straw, she said, came Tuesday when senator-judges voted 11-10 to disallow the inspection of an envelope purportedly bearing evidence of a P3.3-billion secret bank account where Mr. Estrada allegedly hid his ill-gotten wealth.

"It was just too much for me. My heart went out to the brave senators who stood their ground for what was right. I cried when Senate President Aquilino Pimentel announced his resignation," she said.

Aunor said she believes the corruption charges against the President are true, pointing out that she had no doubt the signature of Jose Velarde belonged to Mr. Estrada.

"He frequently writes to me. I know his handwriting," she said.

Shock and suspicion

Aunor’s defection shocked most of her province mates in Bicol because the actress had personally endorsed Mr. Estrada’s candidacy in the 1998 polls.

Still, they commended Aunor for following her conscience.

"Nora’s defection from the Estrada camp is a clear manifestation of a truly principled Bicolano," said a resident of Legazpi City.

Others, however, doubted her intentions, pointing out that the defection was made a day after she was officially adopted as the opposition candidate to re-electionist Gov. Luis Villafuerte, who had been backed by the President.

"Politics could have motivated her defection," said one Estrada supporter.

Sources claimed that Aunor’s bitterness against the President began right after the actress bared her political ambitions to the President. The incident allegedly took place at Malacañang in the presence of several Cabinet officials, they said.

"Ano’ng gagawin mo do’n? Magkakalat ka lang (What will you do there? You will just fumble)!" sources said, quoting the President’s response to Aunor’s request to endorse her candidacy.

Nevertheless, organizers of protest movements welcomed the defection of the superstar as well as her revelations.

"Miss Aunor is doing Filipino women a big favor. She is articulating what many women feel about the President," said Liza Maza, secretary general of the women’s group Gabriela.

Bayan secretary general Teodoro Casiño noted that other stars like Vilma Santos and Sharon Cuneta have long declared their opposition to Mr. Estrada.

"Now, with the Superstar, I believe we can win the fight," he said.

Movie actor and Cavite Gov. Ramon "Bong" Revilla and his actress-wife Lani Mercado also joined the anti-Estrada rallies Wednesday night.

Revilla said he was distancing himself from his father, Sen. Ramon Revilla, who had voted against opening the second envelope at the trial.

The younger Revilla, a close friend of presidential son and San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada, explained that he is joining the Filipino people who demand a change in the country’s leadership. – With reports from Marichu Villanueva, Ding Cervantes, Cet Dematera, Jose Aravilla, Non Alquitran, Liberty Dones