‘Stressed’ Jinggoy: Napoles list proves me right

Ayee Macaraig

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‘Stressed’ Jinggoy: Napoles list proves me right
'I was proven right in my privilege speech that this is really selective justice,' Estrada says

MANILA, Philippines – “I’m so stressed.”

A troubled Senator Jinggoy Estrada could barely speak in an audible voice as he responded to reports about his possible arrest.

Estrada said there was no need for the Senate leadership and the Philippine National Police to discuss the arrangements for the arrest because he will cooperate with the authorities. 

Kung saka-sakali, they don’t need to have a meeting with regard to our arrest. As far as I’m concerned, kung may warrant, I will surrender myself to Camp Crame, Sandiganbayan, Ombudsman, kung saan nila gusto. ‘Di na nila kailangan sunduin, ako mismo pupunta doon,” Estrada told reporters on Tuesday, May 13.

(If ever, I will surrender myself wherever they want be to be. They need not fetch me. I myself will go there.)

Lacking his usual bombast and humor, the senator indicted for plunder over the pork barrel scam said it is inevitable that the Ombudsman will file charges against him before the Sandiganbayan.

He said he is even preparing his family for “any eventuality.”

“I already talked to my children. [My 8-year-old daughter] is the one who will get hurt the most. She is still young so she doesn’t understand. But slowly, I talk to her and tell her I will no longer be able to sleep at home. She is the one I sleep next to in bed every night,” Estrada said in Filipino.

Asked why he appeared weak, Estrada told reporters, “You know, it’s been a year that I am in the newspapers, being talked about by people. Everyday, I’m on radio, TV. You will get weak, too. It’s good if the stories are positive but that’s not the case. It’s all about destroying our reputation. It’s so depressing.”

While he seemed resigned to the likelihood of his arrest, Estrada is exhausting all legal means to stop the filing of plunder charges.

His lawyers filed before the Ombudsman on Monday a motion to suspend proceedings pending the resolution of an earlier petition he submitted to the Supreme Court to stop the case.

“It is respectfully submitted that the continuation of the proceedings in the cases at bar during the pendency of Senator Estrada’s Petition for Certiorari before the Supreme Court, will cause grave and irreparable damage or injury to Senator Estrada,” his motion stated.

On April 1, the Ombudsman found probable cause to charge Estrada, and Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr and Juan Ponce Enrile for funneling their pork barrel funds to fake non-governmental organizations in exchange for millions of pesos in kickbacks.

‘Scorched-earth policy’

Still, Estrada said the release of the list of lawmakers alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles implicated in the controversy vindicated him.

A copy of the list that Rehabilitation Secretary Panfilo Lacson submitted to the Senate included 12 senators, along with Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

“They should have released this a long time ago instead of just pinning down the 3 of us. I was proven right in my privilege speech that this is really selective justice,” Estrada said.

Told that the list also named the 3 of them, Estrada said, “Well, we are always mentioned. That’s been very consistent. I’m already immune.”

His colleagues though had a different take on the list. Senators Cynthia Villar and Alan Peter Cayetano said the Napoles list sought to bring other lawmakers down. (READ: Miriam, Chiz, Cayetano: Don’t fall for Napoles tactic

“There’s a scorched-earth policy that if the situation is confusing, they will muddle the issue and drag everyone into it. I don’t know who is behind it. I don’t do that. We don’t do that so we don’t know,” Villar said, speaking on behalf of her husband, former Senate President Manny Villar who was named in Lacson’s version of the list.

Cynthia Villar said it seems the list was politically motivated because it included presidential aspirants in 2016. “We don’t want to say don’t release the list because people will say we are afraid. We are not afraid but we are surprised.”

Cayetano, Villar’s party mate in the Nacionalista Party (NP), agreed. He implied that the opposition senators indicted over the scam had a hand in the Napoles list.

“[Napoles] wants to launch a weapon of mass distraction and destruction to divert the issue, to destroy their rivals. What is the motive of those accused and caught stealing from public coffers? They want their candidate in 2016 to win so they can appoint their people in the justice department and acquit them. What better way to do that but destroy their potential rivals,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano is eyeing the presidency, aiming to go up against Vice President Jejomar Binay, the leading contender from the opposition.

‘No relief for Drilon’

Senate President Franklin Drilon echoed his colleagues’ view that the Napoles list was tied to the 2016 polls.  

“I am in favor of releasing the list but with supporting documents. Without that, it remains a list. Let us protect the reputation of our colleagues because the elections are near and operators are making a living,” said Drilon, a stalwart of the ruling Liberal Party (LP).

After disputing text messages that he was part of the list, Drilon said Lacson’s statement that he was not in it did not give him a sense of relief.

Drilon’s name was first dragged into the scam after his photos with Napoles surfaced last year. He has since maintained that he only met Napoles in social functions. 

“The sense of relief assumes I am concerned. I have never dealt with Napoles. I’m confident I’m not on the list,” Drilon said. – Rappler.com

 

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