Power struggle in Erap camp?

MANILA, Philippines - There could be a power struggle in the camp of Manila Mayor-elect Joseph Estrada, based on two letters received by the office of outgoing Mayor Alfredo Lim, an official said yesterday.

Estrada denied the allegations.

Lim’s chief of staff and media bureau director, Ric de Guzman, said the two letters, which discussed the proposed transition to the incoming administration, did not jive with each other.

The first letter – dated May 16 and signed by Simeon Garcia Jr., who claimed to be the secretary general of the Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) – informed Lim about the composition of Estrada’s transition team, which it said had been tasked to coordinate with his designated representatives.

The following day, another letter arrived at Lim’s office. The letter – signed by Amado Valdez, purportedly the chairman of the “transition committee” created by Estrada – stated that the committee “would like to consult with your representative for the purpose of ensuring a smooth transition of the incoming city administration” on May 20.

Four days later, the mayor’s office received another letter, again signed by Valdez, disowning the May 17 letter and claiming that it was “unauthorized.”

De Guzman said  he is wondering why the first one was not authorized.

“What does it mean? Does it mean he doesn’t authorize himself or he wasn’t authorized by the PMP? He never mentioned that his signatures were faked,” he said.

Valdez’s second letter, in which he identified himself as the dean of the University of the East’s College of Law, stated that the first letter “from an alleged transition committee of… Estrada, purportedly bearing my signature” was “unauthorized.”

City administrator Jay Marzan said that there was no transition committee when Lim took over from then mayor Mel Lopez in 1992 and again from ex-mayor Lito Atienza in 2007. Lim will remain mayor until June 30.

Miscommunication

Estrada, in a telephone interview with The STAR, said there is no power struggle in his camp.

“There was miscommunication there. Dean Valdez is not in any way connected with me. It was withdrawn immediately,” Estrada said.           

He said the official head of his transition committee is his chief of staff, former congressman Simeon Garcia, who will work with his legal officer, Ed Serapio. “They are the only ones (Garcia and Serapio’s group) recognized by me,” Estrada said.

Estrada said that his transition committee has yet to conduct an ocular inspection of the city hall.