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Crowds at Ketkai mall

“ I am here to personally thank you for giving me the largest number of votes in Mindanao ever given to senator, a vice president and a president. You also gave me the largest margin of victory ever recorded in the city for a presidential election.”

Erap: I have no intention to run for president again.

Mike Baños

“I am not campaigning. I have no plans of running.”

Former president Josph Estrada categorically stated he has no intention to ru for president again and he is not campaigning for the office. Estrada repeatedly stated he is no longer interested in running for president, despite repeated hints and leading questions from his retinue and media during his one day Lakbay Pasasalamat.

Estrada, accompanied by former senator Ernesto Maceda and Sen. Francis Escudero, went on a one day barnstorming of Cagayan de Oro City to kick off his tour in Mindanao.

“ I am here to personally thank you for giving me the largest number of votes in Mindanao ever given to senator, a vice president and a president. “,

Estrada speaking mostly in Tagalog, told over a thousand participants in a luncheon at a local restaurant.

“You also gave me the largest margin of victory ever recorded in the city for a presidential election.”

He added, referring to the 1998 presidential elections which he won by a landslide.

“I will never forget the people of Cagayan de Oro, because even when I was placed on trial and detained, I was surprised you still voted for Loy and my son, Jinggoy”,

an emotional Estrada told the packed function hall which practically included the entire City Council led by Vice Mayor Vicente Emano, 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and former Misamis Oriental Governor Antonio Calingin.

“Full force” was how Rodriguez described the attendance of the luncheon meeting which aside from the city council also included barangay officials of practically all 80 of Cagayan de Oro’s urban and rural barangays.

When pressed on how he could not run again when he had repeatedly stated he would never leave the Filipino people while they needed him and he was in a position to help them, the former President replied there were many “presidentiable” in the opposition who were qualified to lead the nation. However after pondering a few moments , he made a caveat, that he may possibly consider it if was the only option left to unite the opposition. “I may consider it if is what’s needed to unite the opposition.

But he was heard muttering in jest to Emano, Rodriguez and Maceda who was seated with him during the brief media conference following the thanksgiving luncheon, “Pinahirapan nyo pa ako ah.” Estrada was repeatedly addressed by Mr. maceda and other dignitaries and officials present as “Mr. President”, as where the stage backdrop, streamers, and other print collaterals for his “lakbay pasasalamat.”

Like his nemesis President Arroyo, Estrada is barred from running for another term although the law on this has come under fire form legislators following Arroyo’s decision to run for President in 2004 after serving the remainder of Estrada’s term following the 2001 EDSA Revolution. Political observers have also become wary of pronouncements such as this one following Arroyo’s infamous turnaround in 2004 when she decided to run for president after repeatedly stating previously that she would not be seeking a new term after serving the remaining of Estrada’s term.

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