Lim, Estrada ‘war of words’ annoy voters

By Fatima Cielo B Cancel/Manila Times

The recent exchange of barbs between Mayor Alfredo Lim and former president Joseph “Erap” Ejercito-Estrada has left a lot of Manila voters cold, with some saying that the two should both drop their bids for the city’s top post.

The Manila Times interviewed at random residents and voters of Manila to fathom their reaction over the latest episode in the Lim-Erap war of words. The first salvos were hurled in the ABS-CBN show Umagang Kay Ganda on Tuesday, with another tussle at a debate in the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila campus on Wednesday.

For 34-year-old mother of three, Marynelle Hermosura of Tondo, the fight between Lim and Estrada is becoming “annoying.”

“It is infuriating, you come home from work, watch the news on TV and you see them in a squabble. Whatever they’re saying has no importance because both of them are the same,” Hermosura said. Jomar Capote of Sta. Cruz, Manila, told the Times that when he saw the Internet video of Lim and Erap’s debate in UP-Manila, his first reaction was that both appeared to be afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease.

“They both seem to have been hit by Alzheimer’s disease. Erap comes strong as a bully, and this Lim is an easily nettled crybaby. See they’re both old still acting like grade one school children. Entertaining but annoying,” Capote said.

“To think how the mayoralty candidates for Manila are acting like children, and their attitude in the debate, particularly Erap, is as if he’s in engaged in a street brawl. Just like a street hoodlum,” he added.The Times also sought the reaction of the student-residents and voters of Manila on the Lim-Erap debate.

Jelo Franco of the Philippine Christian University said: “They are a laughing stock because they are so verbose, but if we compare them, Lim is more okay for me because Erap’s statements are full of holes. But when it comes to heckling, Lim lost. As for me, Lim is going to win because he has helped a lot.”

Jed Cadsawan of Philippine Women’s University opined: “They are acting like children heckling each other as their points don’t go anywhere. Lim’s statements have more sense than Erap’s. In my view, Mayor Lim will still win because a lot of people detest Erap who isn’t a Manila resident.” “It’s amusing since you cannot imagine that politicians like these will swap gibes on the air. But at the same time, it’s so disappointing since it seems that the heckling is all for show. That is not the way to debate. It’s sheer heckling, mud slinging, the issues they have tackled before, that’s the same they’re digging up. For me, neither deserves to be mayor, both have their errors,” Matthew Urias of PCU said.

Arjay Hidalgo of Adamson University said, “The debate isn’t okay since they just cast aspersions at each other rather than engaging in debate. I feel Estrada has a strong charisma, it’s only my view that more people favour him rather than Lim.”

Japoy Penal of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila claimed: “ I favour Estrada because I like his platform. Estrada will win because Lim has shown to have a lot of glitches while in power. Erap has many supporters and I am one of them.”

Professor Bobby Tuazon, a political analyst told the Times that the voters of Manila are “intelligent and wise”.

He explained further that based on his analysis, “Some sectors could be swayed by a candidates’ popularity but majority of the people look for candidates who run on the basis of programmes and track record in public service.”

He added that two candidates should now turn over the mayoralty seat to “more promising, deserving and definitely more competent people who can steer the government more responsibly to transformational reforms that will change people’s lives.”