Senator JV Ejercito files COC for re-election

Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito filed his certificate of candidacy on Monday for re-election as senator in the 2019 elections where he is expected to battle for a Senate seat alongside his brother, former Senator Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada.

Senator JV Ejercito files COC for re-election @gmanews pic.twitter.com/V5Vwk2hAs2

— Llanesca T. Panti (@llanescajourno) October 15, 2018

Ejercito, who finished 11th in the 2013 race with over 13 million votes, is trailing his brother who is using the Estrada surname in pre-election surveys.

Ejercito and Estrada are sons of former President Joseph Estrada with San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez and Estrada’s wife, former Senator Loi Ejercito, respectively.

The younger Ejercito, however, is confident that his performance as public servant will secure him victory, citing his authorship of the Senate’s recently passed legislation Universal Health Care Program and the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform law which explicitly bans political dynasties.

“My track record will boost my candidacy. In my 18 years of public service, of course, there are cases that will be filed, but I was not convicted. Malinis ang pangalan ko,” Ejercito, a former San Juan representative and San Juan mayor, pointed out.

"On political dynasty, I have always been consistent: Let us give chance to others," Ejercito added.

Ejercito did not mention his brother, but Estrada is out on bail with regard to the pending P183 million plunder charge leveled against him in connection with the P10 billion pork barrel scam.

Ejercito then clarified that he still used the Estrada surname in his COC even if he left his father’s party Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino for the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

Ejercito is a candidate of the NPC for the 2019 Senate race.

Aside from NPC, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and her regional political party Hugpong ng Pagbabago have endorsed Ejercito’s bid for the Senate.

“Of course, nasaktan [ang tatay ko nung umalis ako]. Again, that is one of the reasons why I still used Estrada in my COC. We have differences, but he is still my father and we will be talking very, very soon,” Ejercito said.

Ejercito was referring to the nickname that he entered in his COC which is JV Estrada.

He then vowed to push for legislation that would speed up the building of infrastructure in the country which includes airports, roads, bridges, among others, in the event he wins a second consecutive six-year term, including emergency powers for President Rodrigo Duterte which would speed up bidding processes under certain conditions.—KG, GMA News