Jinggoy on ‘pork’ scam: Why should I apologize?

MANILA, Philippines – “Why should I apologize? There’s no basis because my conscience is clear.”

Senator Jinggoy Estrada was defiant in what could be his last press briefing before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan orders his arrest for the country’s biggest corruption scandal in recent history.

The senator facing plunder charges scoffed at the call of an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines for lawmakers implicated in the pork barrel scam to seek the public’s forgiveness and have a “sense of shame” instead of holding sorties with supporters.

While Father Edu Gariguez’s call was a response to the visits of Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr to communities, Estrada turned it down and again maintained his innocence.

“When you are arrested, it does not mean you are guilty. That’s why you are imprisoned so that you cannot escape your responsibility to attend hearings. That does not mean you are guilty so we will file a motion for bail because bail is a matter of right,” Estrada said on Thursday, June 19.

Estrada said he will abide by his “gentleman’s agreement” with Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Director Benjamin Magalong of the Philippine National Police to turn himself in once the court issues an arrest warrant. The senator though said he will not bring his 4 children along.

“My wife might just accompany me, along with friends. I don’t want my children in the detention cell.”

The senator clarified that it was Magalong who called him up in May to talk about his impending arrest, and not the other way around.

He said he expects the warrant to be out next week pending the hearing set on Friday for his motion for judicial determination of probable cause at the Sandiganbayan.

“It’s mental torture. We do not know if the warrant will be issued tomorrow, next week or two weeks from now.”

While he was in a somber mood for the most part, the actor-turned-politician still kept his sense of humor. He recalled his first plunder case where he and his father, former President Joseph Estrada were accused of receiving payoffs from the illegal numbers game jueteng. The senator was acquitted while his father was convicted.

“Kaya ako sinama sa charge sheet nung 2001 para may makasama ang tatay ko. Ngayon, ’di ko naman masingil tatay ko samahan ako. Joke lang!”

(They included me in the charge sheet in 2001 so that my father will have company. Now, I can’t ask my father to return the favor. Just kidding!)

Estrada and fellow opposition senators Revilla and Juan Ponce Enrile face arrest after they were charged with plunder and graft over the scam.

They are accused of conniving with alleged mastermind Janet Lim Napoles to channel their pork barrel or discretionary funds to her bogus non-governmental organizations in exchange for millions of pesos in kickbacks.

‘I was made to believe NGOs legit’

Estrada also responded to the statement of his father that he was merely “careless” in the use of the development funds.

“I was careless in the sense that I trusted because I was made to believe these NGOs are legitimate. I received reports they will deliver supplies. Why will I channel my PDAF to bogus NGOs?”

He added, “We are not the ones accrediting NGOs; it’s the implementing agencies. Our role is purely recommendatory. They should have informed us. The least they could have done was to tell us the NGOs were bogus.”

Even if he went through a similar experience before, Estrada said his second arrest is still daunting.

“The mere thought of it, makulong na naman, tumatayo ang balahibo ko eh. Iniisip ko mga anak ko, pamilya ko.” (The mere thought of it, that I will be jailed again, it gives me goosebumps. I think of my children, my family.)

Estrada said he already prepared his family for his arrest, and trusts that they will be able to handle it, as they did before. The only challenge is his 8-year-old daughter Jill.

“I talked to my family last week regarding my situation. I advised them to pray, stay strong for my life in jail. But my youngest, it seems she cannot take it. Sometimes she asks her mother why I will be sent to jail.”

‘My political plans have not changed’

With his father saying that the senator’s political career is not yet over despite the case, Estrada said he is still open to running for higher office.

“I was perceived to be running for vice president but my plans have not changed. I haven’t talked to Vice President [Jejomar] Binay,” said the younger Estrada, referring to the opposition’s presidential candidate in 2016.

“Let’s just cross the bridge when we get there. I hope our case will be resolved soon so we will know.”

For now, Estrada is just dreading his second time in jail. “Malungkot sa kulungan. (It’s said in jail.) I’ve experienced that.”

He capped his press conference by again rejecting calls to resign. “I assure the public I will still serve to the best of my ability my constituents even in jail.” – Rappler.com