MANILA, Philippines - Opposition bloc United Nationalist Alliance is still hoping that it can convince former president and now Manila City Mayor Joseph "Erap" Estrada to support its standard bearer Vice President Jejomar Binay in the 2016 presidential race.
UNA Secretary General JV Bautista said the party has helped Estrada during trying times in his political life.
Bautista said his connection with late actor Fernando Poe Jr. should not get in the way of his supporting Binay's presidential bid in 2016.
Poe is the adoptive father of Sen. Grace Poe, believed to be running in the presidential derby against Binay.
"Kung meron man syang link kay FPJ, wala naman na si FPJ di ba?And this is not FPJ (referring to Grace). So we believe the politics of Erap will somehow be seriously considered and we'll rule the day from here," Bautista said.
"Erap is my dear friend. We have been in politics for so many years already, ang mga mahihigpit na laban ni Erap we were there for him. Lahat ng laban ni Erap, kasama si Binay...There was not a single instance na iniwanan siya ni Binay... Where should the payback be?" he said.