Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Thursday questioned the speed of the filing of plunder and graft cases against him before the Sandiganbayan, claiming there were irregularities in the process and possible violations of his right to due process.
In a statement issued after the Office of the Ombudsman filed the cases, Estrada said his legal team is preparing all available remedies to challenge the charges.
“We will exhaust all legal remedies,” Estrada said.
The senator claimed that several pieces of evidence favorable to him were allegedly disregarded during the investigation, including a letter from the Senate Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office (LBRMO).
According to Estrada, the document supposedly stated that there was no record showing that he inserted items into the 2025 national budget.
“Isa itong mahalagang ebidensya na tahasang pinapabulaanan ang lahat ng alegasyon laban sa akin, subalit sadyang isinantabi,” Estrada said.
[Translation: This is an important piece of evidence that directly disproves all allegations against me, but it was deliberately disregarded.]
Estrada also argued that he was not given enough opportunity to review the resolutions issued by the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman before the cases were filed in court.
“Ang ganitong labis at hindi makatuwirang proseso ay may seryosong implikasyon sa aking right to due process,” he said.
[Translation: This excessive and unreasonable process has serious implications on my right to due process.]
The senator also pointed to the timing of the cases, saying it was notable that investigations involving several members of the Senate majority bloc appeared to move faster following the recent change in Senate leadership.
“Kapansin-pansin din na, mula nang magpalit ng liderato sa Senado, naging mabilis ang pag-usad ng mga kasong kinasasangkutan ng ilang miyembro ng majority bloc,” Estrada said.
He also criticized the Ombudsman for allegedly filing the case barely a week after the DOJ resolution without conducting what he described as a more thorough and independent fact-finding investigation.
Estrada maintained that he would continue defending himself through legal means.
“As I have said before, if this is the price that I have to pay for standing by my principles and for what I believe in, then so be it,” he said.
“Ipagpapatuloy ko ang paghahanap ng katotohanan at ang pagtatanggol sa aking pangalan sa tamang forum at alinsunod sa batas.”
[Translation: I will continue searching for the truth and defending my name in the proper forum and in accordance with the law.]
