Sen. Estrada: I won’t quit

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada: No evidence. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines —“No, I will not resign,” Senator  Jose  “Jinggoy” Estrada told the graduating students of the  Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) on Tuesday when he brought before them the  issue of the “pork barrel” scam.

Speaking before the 46th Commencement Exercises of the PLM held at the  PICC  in Pasay City, Estrada noted some calls for him and two other senators implicated in the scam to leave their posts amid an impending filing of  criminal charges against them.

Aside from Estrada, the two other senators facing  plunder and graft charges in connection with the pork scam are Juan Ponce Enrile  and  Ramon “Bong” Revilla  Jr.

“Malamang may ilan-ilan sa inyo dito na nakikiisa sa panawagang ito.  I will not take that against you, karapatan nyo iyan. Katulad din ng karapatan kong sabihin na – “no, I will not resign.” At katulad din ng karapatan kong ipagtanggol ang aking sarili at ipaglaban kung ano man ang dapat kaya’t huwag nyo rin sanang ipagkait sa akin ang mga karapatan kong ito,” he said.

(Maybe some of  you are [among those calling for our resignations]. I will not take that against you, that’s your rights. Just like my right to say that ‘No, I will not resign’ and my right to defend  myself  and  fight  for what is right so I hope  you won’t take that rights away from  me.)

“Ako ay nahalal muli bilang senador noong 2010 sa bisa at lakas ng labing walong milyong boto (18 million) and I owe to these 18 million Filipino people who voted me into office and to whom I  swore to serve until the last day of my term ending 30 June 2016 to continue to perform my mandate as senator of the republic.”

“Their faith in me as a public servant and their unwavering support are my reasons for not heeding, or even disregarding, the tyrannical voice of the few,”  Estrada added.

The senator reiterated that he was innocent of all the allegations being hurled at him, particularly allegations  that he had funneled his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or “pork barrel” funds  to bogus non-government organizations linked to detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.

“I never received or pocketed any amounts from Mrs. Napoles, Mrs. (Ruby) Tuason, or any person associated with her or the non-government organizations.  I did not steal a single centavo from public funds or from my PDAF.  I did not conspire with anyone nor took undue advantage of my position to enrich myself or my family using public funds,”  he said.

“ Kahit mamaos ako at mawalan ng boses o makulitan kayo sa akin, pa-ulit-ulit kong sasabihin ito dahil ito ang totoo,” he said.

Estrada said he will defend himself in the proper forum where he hopes to have a “fair, impartial and objective trial.”

“I am very confident that in due time, the charges against me will be dismissed. In the meantime, I just hope and pray that the people would let the wheels of justice take its due and legal course,”  he said.

The senator noted that while the Constitution provides that an accused is innocent unless proven otherwise, he and other accused have already  been “considered and condemned guilty.”

He said he was also puzzled that  the focus was  only on him, Enrile and Revilla when many other senators and congressmen have also endorsed their PDAF  to other  NGOs.

“Is this selective justice where you focus on destroying those perceived as potential and viable candidates for election? Your guess is good as mine,”  Estrada said.

He then took a swipe at his colleagues in the Senate,  especially those aspiring to become president of the   Philippines,  who used the issue for their own interests.

“Hindi tama na lagyan ng bahid ng ambisyon sa pulitika ang isyu ng hustisya, lalo na para sa mga nag-aambisyong mag-presidente ng Pilipinas. Ang katarungan ay sagrado at hindi dapat hinahaluan ng ambisyon sa pulitika. May mga batas at karapatang umiiral. At ang mga ito dapat ang unang sinasa-alang-alang,” he said.

“Ang aga naman nilang pumusisyon. Ngayon pa lang, mainit na ang pulitika, kasing init na ng panahon. Kaya iyong inaakala nilang malakas na makakalaban nila, kailangang sirain na ng husto para ma-eliminate na sa anumang posisyong pinagnanasaan nila.”

“Okay naman sana sa akin iyon na ngayon pa lang pumapapel na sila, but do they have to do it at our expense? Do we have to be the whipping boy of their misguided ambitions?” asked Estrada.

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