Erap 2010 stickers sprout, but ex-leader says they're not his

MANILA, Philippines – An alliance of pardoned former President Joseph Estrada’s supporters has created hundreds of “ERAP 2010” stickers for distribution nationwide to convince the people to support Estrada’s presidential bid in the 2010 elections.

In a telephone interview with The STAR, Vince Avena, president of the newly created “Erap for 2010 president movement,” said he and his friends decided to launch the campaign to convince the people to support Estrada in the 2010 presidential elections because of the former chief executive’s pro-masses and pro-poor ideology.

The “ERAP 2010” stickers measure five by two inches, in red and blue combination.

“The primary purpose of making the ERAP 2010 stickers and distributing it nationwide is to encourage and to let the people think of the possibility that Estrada will run in 2010,” Avena told The STAR.

He said Estrada is the epitome of a real leader who always thinks of the interest of the poor Filipino people, which represent a majority of the more than 80 million of the country’s population.

“Leadership is not just having the money and the name. A true leader must have a true love for the masses, love for the people. We produced quite a number of ERAP 2010 stickers to campaign for his return to power. The ERAP for 2010 president movement is initiated by a group of friends who believe that Erap is the man we need to lift our country from poverty,” Avena said.

He said what transpired on Jan. 20, 2001, when Estrada was forced to leave Malacañang, was a great mistake.

“To bring him (Estrada) back is to correct the wrong that we have suffered at the hands of anti-poor people. I am just an ordinary citizen who wants to help the Filipino people,” Avena said.

In a separate interview with The STAR, Estrada denied having any knowledge of the production of the stickers.

“I have nothing to do with that. I am thankful. But that is not right because it is too early for politics and it is divisive. Besides, I have no intention of running in 2010. I just want to unite the people and the opposition to ensure the opposition’s victory in 2010,” Estrada said.

Earlier, movie actor Rez Cortez, head of the FPJ (Fernando Poe Jr.) for President Movement, said Estrada is their only choice to be the opposition’s standard-bearer in 2010.

“President Estrada is the only leader whom we see represents what FPJ is fighting for because he is pro-poor,” Cortez said.

The movie actor said they will throw their full support for Estrada once the latter decides to run in 2010.

Escudero: Erap can’t run

Meanwhile, Sen. Francis Escudero, who ran under the Genuine Opposition, expressed doubt yesterday whether Estrada could run again in the 2010 presidential elections.

Escudero, a lawyer, said he sees legal obstacles on the possibility of Estrada running again for president.

President Arroyo had pardoned the former president and restored his civil rights in the process. Since he was pardoned last year, the former chief executive has been telling his supporters that he can still run for president during his various sorties in Metro Manila and the provinces.

“Legally, I don’t see it happening or even being possible, unless there is a prior petition emanating from the Supreme Court, the letter of the law, the Constitution in particular, there is no precedent for such a candidacy,” said Escudero, a staunch ally of the opposition.

“Secondly, without it necessarily benefiting anyone else, there are 85 to 90 million Filipinos by this time, I don’t think a single person, whether it will be him or GMA, or any person can confirm that they are the one who can do that work (as president),” he said in an interview over ANC yesterday.

Recently adjudged as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum with another Filipino, Centro Migrante founder Illac Diaz, Escudero again shrugged off questions about his ambition to run for higher office in the next elections.

He said he has not received any invitation from anybody to be a running mate in the 2010 presidential elections.

“Nothing definite and no definite answer for one simple reason, any promise given now might not be true anymore years from now, so it’s too early to ask and it’s also too early to answer,” Escudero said.

Escudero ran under the Nationalist People’s Coalition of businessman Danding Cojuangco in the last elections. The NPC was allied with the Genuine Opposition (GO) that also fielded Senators Loren Legarda (NPC), Manuel Villar and Alan Cayetano (both Nacionalista Party).