Sandiganbayan issues arrest warrant vs. Jinggoy

The Sandiganbayan 5th Division has issued a warrant of arrest against Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who is accused of pocketing P183 million in pork barrel kickbacks. The warrant came out just this morning, Monday, June 23.

In an interview on Mornings at ANC, Sen. Estrada says he’s ready for whatever today might bring.

“It’s a tall order. But anything is still possible. But once warrant of arrest is issued against me, we will automatically file a motion for bail. Do I have a choice? I cannnot demand from court where to detain me. I will follow what the court says,” Jinggoy says.

And just like his colleague Senator Bong Revilla who surrendered last Friday, Estrada blames implementing agencies for the legal mess he’s in right now.

“If there was one thing, I was careless about endorsing the NGOs, but honestly, had I known that these NGOs were bogus, why should I allot my PDAF to the bogus NGOs? It should be the implementing agencies who should determine whether an NGO was bogus or legitimate. What they should have done is to inform the senators not to endorse anymore these bogus NGOs. Or why do they keep on downloading the funds of these NGOs without our knowledge? It should be the fault of the implementing agencies,” Jinggoy says.

But political analyst Edmund Tayao disagrees, stressing that lawmakers have the responsibility to check the background of non-government organizations which receive their pork barrel.

“Kung meron mang isang bagay na guilty si Senator Jinggoy, wala siyang due delligence. Kung legislator ka, responbisbilidad mo tong pera ng bayan na to. Yun lamang naman ang dapat gawin dun, kung kukuha ka ng NGO, you have to make sure the NGO is honest to goodness NGO,” Tayao says

Estrada continues to argue, the evidence against him is weak and that witness Ruby Tuason could not even substantiate her allegations against him.

Tuason testified that she personally delivered bags of money to Estrada’s office.

Critics have said, the PDAF scam will diminish the chances of implicated lawmakers in the 2016 elections.

But Estrada says he’s not even looking that far ahead.

“I cannot decide on that matter. Let people decide my fate. What I want to concentrate on right now is for me to have a bail. Yun lang ang pagtutuunan ko ng pansin right now,” Jinggoy says.