Erap torn between supporting Binay, Grace Poe

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada vowed not to run for president if it means going against Vice President Jejomar "Jojo" Binay and Sen. Grace Poe.

Estrada, whose local office was recently affirmed by the Supreme Court after a court battle, said he believes he can run for president in 2016 without legal woes, but refuses to compete with his old allies.

"I will not run against my friend, Jojo Binay, and I will not run against Grace Poe," Estrada said in an interview on ANC's Headstart on Tuesday.

He said he does not speak with Poe regularly, but his support for the popular legislator stems from his relationship with her late father, action superstar Fernando Poe Jr.

"I do not forget my friendship with her father. FPJ is more than a brother to me," Estrada said.

Asked which of the two possible presidential candidates will he endorse, Estrada said that it will pose a difficult decision for him.

"I will have to study them. What if I tell [Grace Poe], 'You are still young? I will run. Why don't you be my running mate? Your father [was] very close to me,'" Estrada answered in jest.

Estrada also said he will rally behind Binay, who has been hounded with controversies that affected the decline in his ratings for the 2016 race.

"I told him that I'll support him, so that is assuming that the survey will really drop. He's still on top of the candidates," the mayor said.