Ex-senator Jinggoy Estrada brought to police station for alleged ECQ violations

Former Senator Jinggoy Estrada leaves the San Juan City Police Headquarters after he was brought to the station for violating guidelines of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ, while distributing food to residents of Barangay Salapan on Sunday May 3. RICHARD A. REYES/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Jinggoy Estrada was brought to the San Juan Police Station on Sunday for allegedly violating rules of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) when he allegedly held an unauthorized distribution of bangus (milkfish) in San Juan City.

In a phone interview with INQUIRER.net, San Juan City Police chief Col. Jaime Santos said Estrada was invited to the police station to explain.

“(Former) senator Jinggoy Estrada was invited to our station and we let him explain the manner he distributed the bangus (milkfish) to the people in San Juan,” Santos said.

“We noticed the violations on social distancing and there is no necessary permit from the mayor. Wala siyang mayor’s permit to do it,” he added.  (He did not have a mayor’s permit to do it).

Santos said Estrada was later let off with a warning and was told that if he wants to continue with his food distribution activities, he should first get a permit from the city government and ensure that social distancing measures are strictly observed.

Santos said the former senator was also “given this stern warning not to do it again because we will again be forced to effect his arrest.”

In a separate interview, San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said Estrada has been conducting unauthorized food distribution operations in different barangays of the city.

“Nakatanggap ako ng tawag na ang NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) ay gumalaw dito sa lungsod ng San Juan sapagkat itong si dating senador Jinggoy Estrada ay ilang araw na pong nagiikot dito sa lungsod ng San Juan na walang authority,” Zamora said in an interview on TV Patrol.

“Tayo’y nasa enhanced communiyy quarantine, kinakailangan ‘yan under DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) regulations, under IATF (Inter-agency Task Force) directives and under PNP (Philippine National Police) laws. Kinakailangan meron kang authority o permit outside residence. So, unang-una wala siya niyan, so wala syang dahilan na magikot-ikot sa ibang baranggay,” he added.

Zamora said any organization or individual who plans to conduct relief operations must first secure a certification from the local government unit to ensure that it would abide by social distancing measures and safety protocols.

“Ayon din sa (Department of the Interior and Local Government), any organization or any person who would like to conduct any relief operations ay kinakailangan ay kumuha po ng cerfitfication sa local government unit para siguraduhin na merong social distancing, para siguraduhin na hindi nagkakagulo,” the mayor said.

In the Facebook live video posted by Estrada’s daughter, former San Juan City Vice Mayor Janella Ejercito Estrada, the ex-senator can be seen being led to the police station with his family following.

Former President Joseph Estrada also accompanied his son to the police station.

According to Santos, Estrada has already been sent home.

/MUF

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