Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥揊ormer President Joseph Ejercito Estrada on Thursday ruled out the super coalition proposed between the Liberal Party and the United Nationalist Alliance.
鈥淪helved na yun (the proposed super coalition) has been shelved), 鈥� Estrada told reporters after emerging from the regular meeting of members of UNA at the Coconut Palace.
If there鈥檚 anything that could save the super coalition, Estrada said: 鈥淲ell it depends if President Noynoy (Benigno Aquino III) will agree.鈥�
The former president was also quick to defend his son San Juan Representative JV Ejercito from criticisms for bringing up the idea of an LP-UNA coalition by saying that the latter鈥檚 proposition was done in good faith.
In a press conference, Ejercito clarified that what he said was that the super coalition was 鈥渋deal but impossible to happen.鈥�
鈥淲hat I really said was that would have been ideal for the President, for President Aquino to have a super coalition. But I also said that鈥檚 easier said than done, meaning that it鈥檚 impossible to happen because the Liberal Party has already forged a coalition and with UNA we have already announced some of our candidates,鈥� Ejercito said.
Both Estrada and Ejercito deplored the arrogance of Malaca帽ang鈥檚 spokesman and some LP鈥檚 stalwarts in dismissing the proposed coalition.
鈥淥ne of the issues that cropped up was the reaction of various individuals and party leaders. The reactions of LP leaders were marked by arrogance and tend to show that their agenda for 2016 is more important than how they can help the President,鈥� Ejercito said.
Estrada, for his part, said that he believes that Edwin Lacierda鈥檚 remarks were insulting for UNA.
鈥淚 believe so because the proposition was done in good faith, why will he immediately be very arrogant as if he knows鈥s if he鈥檚 a veteran politician? I don鈥檛 know. This is the first time, it鈥檚 only during the time of President [Aquino] that I saw his face,鈥� Estrada said referring to Lacierda.
For his part, Senator Juan Ponce-Enrile said that a super coalition between UNA and LP is 鈥渦nrealistic.鈥�
Speaking in a media forum, Enrile said that the issue on a possible merger of the two political groups is an 鈥渙ut of the blue opinion鈥� of certain personalities.
鈥淭hat is unrealistic. How can you marry the ticket of LP with the ticket of UNA where the ticket of UNA will contain 12 candidates and in the same manner, the ticket of LP will contain 12 names? Who鈥檒l be bumped off from LP and UNA? That will not happen,鈥� Enrile told reporters.
He added that Ejercito鈥檚 earlier statement on a possible merger is his personal opinion.
鈥淭hat is not the position of the Executive Committee,鈥� Enrile said.
However, when asked if Ejercito鈥檚 statement has placed UNA in a compromising position, Enrile said it did not.
鈥淲e are free to talk, whether our talk is hot air or good air or all air,鈥� Enrile said.
Also on Thursday, UNA failed to finalize its senatorial slate, leaving five positions still vacant. The coalition said it will choose five from about eight aspirants.
The seven senators for UNA so far are Joseph Victor 鈥淛V鈥� Ejercito, Gwendolyn Garcia, Ma. Milagros 鈥淢itos鈥� Magsaysay, Jack Enrile, Gregorio Honasan, Jose 鈥淛oey鈥� de Venecia and Juan Miguel Zubiri.
When asked to name the eight aspirants, Estrada just said, 鈥淪ecret.鈥�
But when pressed by reporters, he mentioned the names of Lourdes 鈥淣ancy鈥� Binay, Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, former Senator Ernesto Maceda, and Senator Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� Escudero. With a report from Katherine Evangelista