Erap on Gloria's birthday: Run again, I'll be your campaign manager

MEXICO, Pampanga - Former President Joseph Estrada greeted his former vice president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, on the latter’s 75th birthday, telling her that he'd be her campaign manager if she ran for office.

Estrada made the remarks in a phone call that was broadcast at vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte's campaign, which Arroyo attended.

Estrada did not mention what government position he was wishing Arroyo would run for. Arroyo, however, is running for congresswoman to represent Pampanga's second district.

Arroyo is running unopposed.

“I hope you run again, I'll be your campaign manager,” Estrada said to some laughter in the audience.

“We need you, we need you…” he added.

Arroyo thanked Estrada for his message and also greeted Estrada who will celebrate his birthday on April 19.

“We need you also,” said Arroyo who would turn a year older on Tuesday.

Arroyo was Estrada's vice president when he was president from 1998 until 2001 when he stepped down from office amid EDSA Dos and a scuttled impeachment process.

She then took over the presidency as the constitutional successor.

Arroyo successfully ran for president in 2004 against Estrada's friend and endorsed candidate Fernando Poe Jr.

Bongbong needs Sara

At a separate event in Mexico, Arroyo strongly campaigned for Duterte, noting that her running mate, presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., needs her.

Arroyo recalled that she was lucky when she served as president because her vice president, veteran broadcaster Noli De Castro, helped her a lot.

“Kaya ang masasabi ko, alam ko na tayong lahat, Bongbong Marcos, pero dapat talaga kagaya noong panahon ko, kayong mga Kapampangan na nagsuporta sa akin bilang presidente, ganoon din ang suporta ninyo kay Noli De Castro bilang bise presidente. Kaya ngayon naman, tiyakin natin na UniTeam ang tutulungan natin,” Arroyo said.

“Kailangan ni BBM, kahit matalino siya, para maging magaling na presidente, kailangan niya si Mayor Inday Sara Duterte bilang bise presidente. ‘Yun ang isang dahilan bakit ineendorso natin si Mayor Sara,” she added.

Arroyo also mentioned that Duterte’s father, President Rodrigo Duterte, helped Pampanga a lot during his presidency.

“Pangalawa, sa laki ng tulong naman ni Presidente Rody Duterte dito sa atin sa Pampanga,” Arroyo said.

“Kaya suklian natin siya… Dapat landslide si Inday Sara,” she added.

Duterte, for her part, expressed gratitude for Arroyo’s endorsement and for inviting them on her birthday celebration.

“Happy Birthday to our former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, I wish you good health and happiness and nagpapasalamat po kami sa kanyang imbitasyon sa amin dito sa probinsiya ng Pampanga to celebrate her birthday and para po makapangampanya dito sa probinsiya ng Pampanga,” Duterte said.

Asked about the endorsement of the Pinedas of Pampanga, Duterte said: “Wala po siyang categorical na statement na sinasabi, Governor and Vice Governor, na ineendorse nila ang UniTeam, Bongbong Marcos at Sara Duterte pero tinutulungan po tayo ni Vice Governor Lilian Pineda sa pangangampanya sa probinsiya ng Pampanga.”  —