MANILA, Philippines — Former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada should have coordinated with the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) to distribute relief goods if he had a “quarrel” with the local government unit (LGU), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) suggested Monday.
“Naiintindihan naman natin yung kagustuhan ni Senator Jinggoy na makatulong. Dapat ayon ito sa legal na pamamaraan at sa panuntunan ng ECQ [enhanced community qurantine] guidelines,” DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said in an online briefing.
(We understand Senator Jinggoy’s desire to help. But it has to be done in a legal way and according to the guidelines of ECQ.)
“Dapat nagcoordinate siya sa LGU. Kung kaaway naman niya yung LGU, andyan naman yung OCD. Bigay mo yung gusto mong ipamigay doon. Let OCD do its job,” he added.
(He should have coordinated with the LGU. If he is not in good terms with the LGU, the OCD is there. Give them what you want to donate. Let OCD do its job.)
The OCD was tasked to handle medicines, medical equipment, and supplies, among others that were donated to the government.
Estrada on Sunday was arrested for supposedly violating quarantine guidelines in San Juan City.
The former senator said he did not violate any quarantine measure and claimed there was politics involved in the incident.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, however, denied there was politics involved and said Estrada was not a “person authorized outside of his residence.”
Zamora ended the Estrada clan’s 50-year grip of San Juan City after he won the mayoralty race over the latter’s daughter Janella Estrada in the May 2019 elections.