EXHIBIT 99.1

SOVEREIGN BANCORP, INC.

                            CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
                             18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
                  SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the Annual Report of Sovereign Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company")
on Form 10-K for the period ending December 31, 2002, as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"), I, Jay S.
Sidhu, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002, that:

         (1) the Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

         (2) the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all in
material respects, the financial condition and result of operations of the
Company.

/s/ Jay S. Sidhu
-----------------------
Jay S. Sidhu
Chief Executive Officer
March 12, 2003