Jinggoy Estrada vows to fight for acquittal, vindication ‘to my last breath’
MANILA, Philippines — “I’ll fight this case to my last breath,’’ Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada declared Monday morning before surrendering to the Philippine National Police, the second senator to do so in less than a week.
Otherwise, it’s déjà vu for him and his father, former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada.
In scenes reminiscent of their arrest for plunder in 2001, the former leader turned up with his indicted son at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame after the Sandiganbayan signed the warrant for the senator’s arrest.
The father and son rode together in a coaster from the Estrada residence on Polk Street in North Greenhills, San Juan, along with the rest of the Estrada clan, for the police headquarters.
The senator and his wife Precy, who renewed their vows Sunday night ahead of their silver anniversary on June 28, and their four children stopped by Polk Street from their home in the posh Corinthian Hills in Quezon City.
In April 2001, after the Sandiganbayan issued warrants for their arrest for the plunder case, the Estradas surrendered to police officials at No. 1 Polk Street before they were brought to Camp Crame for the standard processes.
On Monday, they were together when the senator was driven from Polk Street to the PNP Multi-Purpose Center for booking, along with immediate family members.
The younger Estrada became the second senator to turn himself in to the authorities, after Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., following their indictment for plunder and graft over the pork barrel scam.
The anti-graft court has yet to rule on the motion for the determination of probable cause of another accused, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile.
Monday’s re-run of the 2001 event wasn’t lost on the senator’s eldest child, San Juan councilor Janella, now 24.
“All of us are sad about what’s happening. What happened 13 years ago is happening again,’’ she told reporters at Polk Street in an interview aired over radio. “I was 11 at the time. But I feel stronger now.’’
Otherwise, Janella said his father and the rest of the family were confident he’d be acquitted of the charges.
The senator was detained from 2001 to 2003 at the State-run Veterans Memorial Medical Center before he was acquitted of the plunder case.
His father was convicted in 2007, but was pardoned shortly after by his successor, then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The elder Estrada was ousted by a military-backed people’s revolt in January 2001 amid charges of incompetence, inefficiency and corruption.
The senator, whose eyes were red with tears, fought off emotions as he tried to stay calm following news of the issuance of arrest warrant for him.
“This is very painful for me. But this is an order from the court, and I have to face it,’’ the senator, clad in light blue polo, told reporters.
Philippine Senator Jinggoy Estrada waves to the media and supporters as he is escorted to his detention cell after surrendering to police authorities Monday, June 23, 2014 at Philippine National Police headquarters at suburban Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines. AP
His lawyers were to file a petition for bail Monday, and the senator expressed confidence this would be granted by the anti-graft court. After all, he said the case against him was weak.
“I see no case against me,’’ he said, vowing to fight his case to the end. He had said that in a fair trial, he would get an acquittal.
When they arrived at Polk Street from Corinthian Hills, the senator embraced his mother, former senator Luisa “Loi’’ Ejercito, and his father. Amid the crush of TV cameramen and reporters, the elder Estrada asked for a private time with his son.
The senator’s sister Jackie Lopez and brother Jude were also around.
An emotional Loi ranted against the government for singling out her son, who she said did not pocket any kickbacks from the scam, and merely endorsed his pork barrel to non-government organizations.
She wondered why government agencies discovered that more than 80 NGO-recipients were dummies only now.
“They merely endorsed the NGOs. No money passed through their hands. If at all, it’s the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) and the implementing agencies that disposed of the money. They knew whether the NGOs were fake or not,’’ she said.
“If they wanted to implicate me, they should have implicated me, not my son. Go ahead, file the charges,’’ added the former senator, whose name was also mentioned during the Senate inquiry into the scam.
Friends and supporters turned up for the senator, wearing pins and white shirts emblazoned with the message: “Keep the faith and hold on. It might be stormy now but the sun will shine again.’’
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