Estrada shoots back at priest: ‘Why should I apologize?’

MANILA, Philippines – “Ako magso-sorry? Why should I apologize?”

This was how Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada reacted to Fr. Edu Gariguez’, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, statements that  senators charged  with plunder in  connection with the “pork barrel” scam” should  apologize to the  public.

Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada. NINO JESUS ORBETA/INQUIRER

Estrada said there was no basis for him to apologize, saying his “conscience is clear.”

The senator though agreed with his father, former President and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, that he was  just “careless” with  his  “pork barrel” funds  but did not steal  public funds.

Senator Estrada said he was “careless” in a sense that he trusted the non-government organizations (NGOs) that received his pork barrel funds  were  legitimate.

“…I was made to believe that these NGOs were legitimate because I’ve been receiving reports coming from the farmer  beneficiaries  na talagang nagde-deliver sila ng mga supplies,  agricultural  inputs…”   he said during the weekly “Kapihan sa Senado” on Thursday.

“Had I known that these were bogus NGOs, bakit naman ako mag cha-channel ng aking PDAF sa mga bogus NGOs and that’s the duty and responsibility of the implementing agencies to determine whether an NGO is bogus or not,” the senator Estrada added.

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