Also in those meetings were Estrada's son and San Juan Mayor Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito, columnist Herman Tiu Laurel, and Lito Banayo, Estrada's political affairs adviser and now media consultant of Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson. El Shaddai representatives were invited as well.
At the same time, the INC is lending discreet support to Lacson's political base-building efforts. On our provincial visits, "someone would whisper to us and say we should drop by the Iglesia head chapel," a Lacson aide revealed. Lacson now calls on the Iglesia on every provincial sortie, said the aide.
The directive to support Lacson comes from INC executive minister, Eraño 'Ka Erdie' Manalo himself. "Ang bilin daw ni Ka Erdie, 'si Ping, suportahan ng todo-todo. 'Yan ang papalit kay Erap,'" said the aide. (Ka Erdie said, 'Let us give Ping our full support. He is likely to succeed Erap.')
Source:
PCIJ http://www.pcij.org/stories/2002/inc.html
