San Juan Rep. Juan Victor (JV) Ejercito, the son of former President Joseph Estrada with Silaynon Guia Guanzon-Gomez, is now using the name of JV Ejercito Estrada in his senatorial bid next year.

Using the Estrada family name catapulted him to number three from nine in the recent Social Weather Station survey in the list of the top 12 senators, in the 2013 elections, JV admitted.

JV’s bid for a senatorial seat is his first venture into national politics. He served as mayor of San Juan from 2001 to 2010. He also won as congressman during the 2010 election, representing San Juan in the House of Representatives.

His mother, Guia Gomez, is on her second term as mayor of San Juan in Metro Manila. On the other hand, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, half-brother of JV, is the son of the former president to Dr. Loi Ejercito-Estrada, also a former senator.

JV acknowledged what he calls the “Estrada factor” in his promising bid for the Senate.

While Ejercito is quite known in the urban areas, JV, who is running under the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino and United Nationalist Alliance, and Estrada is popular in the rural and coastal areas.

Asked about his relationship with Senator Jinggoy, JV admitted that there is an existing sibling rivalry. “However, we are better now, although, admittedly and honestly, we are not best of friends, buddies and text mates”, he stressed.

For the sake of our father, we’re not fighting anymore, JV said.

Also asked about a possible debate with his half-brother in the Senate, should he wins, JV said “that is exciting to see”.

The six-year term of Jinggoy, who is the Senate president pro tempore, will end in 2016.

The former president, who is running for mayor in Manila, earlier downplayed the prospect that his two sons could play out their sibling rivalry on the Senate floor, adding that he had gotten their “commitment” to work together and set aside personal differences.

“I told them, go ahead, fight, if you want to hasten your father’s demise,” the 75-year-old Estrada said.

Asked about criticisms that Ejercito-Estrada is creating a political dynasty, JV said there are good and bad dynasties.

“I think a dynasty would be bad if it uses guns, goons and gold, as well as coerce people to vote for you,” he said.

In the end, it will be the people who will decide, JV added.*GPB

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