San Juan City Mayor Joseph Victor Ejercito, son of former president Joseph Estrada, yesterday said nine years of misgovernance by the Arroyo administration have resulted in problems of corruption, rice shortage and the other economic woes that the country is experiencing now.

Ejercito, who spoke at the Rotary District Conference held at the Planta Hotel in Bacolod City, said nine years of misgovernance has been too long and the problems have accumulated.

He added that the scandals the present administration has to contend with is a vindication of the Estrada family and the members of the cabinet of the former president.

During Estrada’s time in Malacañang, not a single member of the family or those in the Cabinet was dragged into high-level of scandals such as those in the Arroyo family now, Ejercito said.

The present situation also leads to the realization of those who helped oust President Estrada in 2001 that they made a big mistake, he added.

Meanwhile, Ejercito said it is still possible for the opposition to consolidate its ranks and field a common candidate for the presidency in 2010, and added that former president Estrada remains the head of the party.

Ejercito, who is serving his last term as mayor of San Juan, said options are open for him to seek higher position in the next election, but stressed that politics is not his bread and butter and he can always go back to the corporate world where he had been successful.

Despite the lack of support from the national government, he said, he was able to make San Juan City one of the best performing local government units in the country.*NAB

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