MANILA- Reelectionist Sen. JV Ejercito on Sunday admitted that his relationship with his father former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada remains cold.

"Malamig pero iinit din yan (It's cold but it will heat up soon)," Ejercito said during the "Harapan 2019: The ABS-CBN Senatorial Town Hall Debate."

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It can be recalled that Ejercito resigned from his father's party, Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), last year and jumped to Senate President Vicente Sotto III's Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC).

Ejercito's move came after his half-brother, former senator Jinggoy Estrada, announced that he would also run for a Senate seat.

Asked whether he is closing doors on returning to his father's party, Ejercito responded: "di naman (not really)."

The older Estrada earlier said that Ejercito's departure from his party was probably because he doesn't want to be recognized as his son.

"He resigned from my party. Maybe he doesn't want to be recognized as my son," Estrada told reporters.

• Erap on JV: 'Maybe he doesn't want to be recognized as my son'

During the filing of certificates of candidacies last year, the older Estrada also opted to accompany only Jinggoy.

• Erap accompanies Jinggoy in filing COC

The erstwhile estranged brothers are running alongside each other in administration-backed Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

Jinggoy earlier this month urged voters to support his half-brother's reelection bid.

"Ang pakiusap ko ngayong eleksyon gawin niyo nang number 1 si JV kahit number 2 na lang ako," Jinggoy said.

(I urge you all to make JV your number one vote this election. Just make me number two.)

• 'Kahit no. 2 na lang ako': Jinggoy backs half-brother JV's Senate bid