Jinggoy tries again to go to ma’s party

DETAINED Sen. Jinggoy Estrada has again asked the Sandiganbayan to allow him to attend the birthday celebration of his mother, former Sen. Loi Estrada, on June 4 in Mandaluyong City.

Estrada, who has been held in detention at Camp Crame, Quezon City, since June 2014 in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam, had failed to get the antigraft court’s Fifth Division’s permission to attend his mother’s 85th birthday party last year.

“Accused movant now makes this appeal to the court with the hope that the court and the prosecution will understand the humanitarian need for a family to be together with friends on this occasion,” said Estrada’s four-page petition.

He said a thanksgiving Mass and dinner to mark his mother’s 86th birthday would be held at 409 Shaw Boulevard from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight on June 4.

“For all the years of accused’s life, the Estrada family (has) been always together on this special occasion, except last year when accused was not allowed by the court,” his motion said.

In thumbing down his previous request, the court said it would be a “mockery of the justice system if Senator Estrada be allowed at his whim, or that of his family, to attend his mother’s birthday celebration.”

It also noted that his mother’s birthday party “can nonetheless be held or celebrated within his proximity” and his petition was “not of an emergency nature.”

“Allowing the accused to hear Mass outside the confines of his prison would accord him the liberties of a free man with all the privileges appurtenant to his position,” the court said.