SUMMARY
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
MANILA, Philippines – Rushed and railroaded.
Thus described Senator Jinggoy Estrada the plunder and graft charges filed against him over the alleged diversion of his discretionary funds to ghost projects of dubious non-governmental organizations.
In a handwritten and signed statement he read to the press on Monday, June 30, the senator said the Ombudsman’s “haphazard” filing of charges was motivated by an “overzealousness to be glorified as heroes.”
“Gusto kasi nila magpasikat at ipakita sa taumbayan na kaya nilang magpakulong ng 3 senador,” Estrada said. (They want to glorify themselves and show the people that they can jail 3 senators.)
“If there are ‘truckloads of evidence’ against us and the case is ‘airtight’ as they initially say, why is there a need to amend the information?” he asked.
Watch his statement below.
Prosecutors from the Office of the Ombudsman first rushed to the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan last Wednesday, June 25, to seek an amendment to the information in the cases filed against senators Ramon Revilla Jr and Estrada.
They wanted to strike out the phrase that Napoles siphoned off lawmakers’ discretionary funds “for her personal gain.”
They were apparently alerted by an argument made by alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles – a co-accused in all cases against the senators – that could possibly weaken the cases. Earlier, in assailing the finding of probable cause against her, Napoles argued that no plunder of lawmakers’ Priority Development Assistance Fund was committed because her actions were meant to enrich herself and not the public officials.
The following day, June 26, the 1st division of the Sandiganbayan junked the prosecutors’ motion to amend the information against Revilla.
On Friday, June 27, the 5th division of the anti-graft court warned the prosecutors that Estrada could be released from detention if the amendments were admitted. The prosecutors had to withdraw their motion.
The amended information would have reflected that it was the lawmakers themselves who amassed ill-gotten wealth. (READ: Ombudsman ‘blunder’ may cause the plunder charges?) – Rappler.com
Add a comment
How does this make you feel?
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.