Marcos heirs to break with impeached Estrada

Marcos heirs to break with impeached Estrada

MANILA, NOV 22: The family of former Philippines dictator Ferdinand Marcos would shortly announce the breaking of political ties with impeached President Joseph Estrada, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Former first lady Imelda Marcos and her children - House of Representatives member Imee Manotoc and provincial governor Ferdinand Marcos Junior - "are to make such an announcement shortly," the widow's spokeswoman Cherry Covarrubias told radio station DZMM.

Covarrubias said they were "hurt" by Estrada's insistence that "I am not a dictator like Marcos" when dismissing Opposition charges that he planned a crackdown on protesters calling for his resignation over corruption charges. "If the supporters are hurt, what more the family?" Covarrubias said.

Estrada's chief aide, executive secretary Ronaldo Zamora, told the same station: "We have been hearing for some time that the Marcos family could renounce ties with Lamp," referring to the ruling coalition called Party of the Filipino Masses.

Estrada is a close friend of Imelda Marcos. Just two weeks ago, the President visited the Marcos bailiwick in the northern province of Ilocos Norte to speak at a huge rally organized by Marcos supporters. Former President Marcos died in exile in Hawaii in 1989, three years after a bloodless popular revolt ended his 20-year rule.