Erap, Lim trade barbs anew

MANILA, Philippines - After facing off in a televised debate Tuesday, re-electionist Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and his rival former President Joseph Estrada traded barbs anew in a forum at the University of the Philippines-Manila yesterday. 

The event lived up to its title “Thrilla in UP Manila” as the two mayoral candidates pointed fingers at each other several times.

In his opening remarks, Lim told the crowd there would be no “boxing” match between him and Estrada. “I assure you there will be no boxing bout. We will just discuss issues here and explain, thresh out what are the things we have done.”

But when it was Estrada’s turn, the former President said: “Sabi mo walang boxing. ‘Wag ka mag hamon baka mapasubo ka. (You said there will be no boxing. Don’t dare me, you might have it.”

Estrada showed a photocopy of a news article to support his claim that Manila is the “car theft capital” of the Philippines.

Lim, for his part, presented a mug shot photo of Estrada.

The mayor also mentioned the unsolved murder case of publicist Bubby Dacer during the forum.

Lim asked Estrada why he could not go to the United States. “Is it because you would be arrested? Remember the (Leandro) Aragoncillo case, an espionage case.”

There had been reports that Estrada befriended Aragoncillo who allegedly provided him with a three-page internal US analysis of political developments in the Philippines.

 But the former President denied this.

“Of course not. There is no arrest warrant against me. There is no case against me. These are all allegations. He (Lim) is a liar,” Estrada said.