MANILA, Philippines - Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada sees the victory of Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in the vice presidential race in 2016.
“Bongbong, who is my vice presidential candidate, will win the election,” Estrada told editors and reporters of The STAR during a meeting on Wednesday.
Although Sen. Francis Escudero is leading in the surveys, Estrada declared Marcos will eventually emerge the winner.
Estrada said the religious group Iglesia ni Cristo will be a factor in favor of Marcos.
“The Iglesia has a three million block vote,” he said.
Estrada said Escudero, who is his godson, abandoned him in past elections while Marcos was there to help him in the relocation of informal settlers in San Juan and in Tondo, Manila.
“Senator Marcos has helped transfer more than 2,000 families to relocation sites in Rizal province,” he said.
Although he prefers Marcos in the vice presidential race, Estrada would not commit on whom he will support for president.
“Secret,” he said.
Estrada said he would no longer seek the presidency and just retire when his term as mayor of Manila ends.
The former president boasted of the “Erap Factor” which he said was evident during the 2010 presidential elections where he got nine million votes, or just six million less than President Aquino.
Despite the all-out war he declared against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Estrada said he remains popular among Muslims and Christians in Mindanao.
“I have a very strong following in Mindanao as shown by the result of the 2010 election,” he said.
Estrada’s support for Marcos came a day after the Philippine Aglipayan Church announced their support for the senator.
The support was expressed during a meeting with church leaders led by retired general Edgar Aglipay, grandson of Gregorio Aglipay, founder of the Philippine Aglipayan Church.