JV Ejercito defers wedding plans

San Juan Mayor Jose Victor "JV" Ejercito was forced to move his marriage plans to June after the Sandiganbayan rejected his request that his wedding that was supposed to be held yesterday, be held in the resthouse in Tanay, Rizal, where former President Joseph Estrada is detained.

The mayor’s wedding with Maria Hyacinth Lotuaco was scheduled yesterday but was postponed after the graft court rejected his petition.

"They (government) are very unchristian about it. They talked about reconciliation but you can’t feel it," said Ejercito during a telephone interview with The STAR.

He stressed the Arroyo government cannot even be like Christians or compassionate about his request.

"It’s very a big event in one’s list. I am so sad to say that sometimes, this administration is very unchristian already. It’s a personal thing," lamented Ejercito.

Mayor Ejercito, who is the son of former President Joseph Estrada by former actress Guia Gomez, said he wanted the wedding to be held in the Tanay resthouse where his father has been detained following his ouster in 2001.

Ejercito wanted the wedding in Tanay so that his father can attend it. He plans to have the wedding as solemn as possible with only relatives attending it.

It the meantime, Ejercito said he still has no definite date when the wedding will be held and the venue.

With the Sandiganbayan’s decision, Ejercito opted to postpone his wedding which was initially scheduled yesterday . He plans to move it to June.

Justices of the anti-graft court’s Special Division composed of Presiding Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro, and Justices Diosdado Peralta and Francisco Villacruz junked the former president’s motion asking the court that JV’s wedding and its reception be held in Tanay.

De Castro instead directed former senator Rene Saguisag, lead counsel of Estrada, to file a motion that the former president be allowed to attend the wedding of his son outside his Tanay resthouse. — Sandy Araneta