Senator Jinggoy Estrada in a press conference on Monday, June 1, 2026, following the issuance of an arrest warrant against him for plunder.Screenshot from Senate video
TheMonitorMindanaoToday.com | Estrada Faces Plunder Charges, Voluntarily Surrenders to CIDG
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Jinggoy Estrada voluntarily surrendered to authorities on Monday, June 1, 2026, after the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division issued an arrest warrant against him in connection with a plunder case tied to alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
Also named in the warrant were former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Assistant District Engineer Denryl Caesar Cortuna, District Engineer Manny Bulusan, and District Engineer Arturo Gonzales Jr.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Senate shortly before his surrender to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Estrada asserted his innocence and vowed to fight the charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.
“I will not be broken by accusations nor will I yield to political pressure. I will meet these charges head on, defend my honor to due process, and place my faith in the truth,” he said.
Estrada further alleged that he had received offers to leave the Senate’s independent majority bloc in exchange for the dismissal of the case against him.
“Maraming beses po akong inalok na talikuran ang independent majority bloc kapalit ng pagbabasura ng aking kaso ngunit hindi ko po ito tinanggap. Mas nanaig ang paninindigan ko na akoy manatili sa hanay ng mga ksamahan ko sa independent majority bloc,” he told reporters.
He reaffirmed his support for Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and the majority coalition.
“I will remain firmly with the majority bloc under the leadership of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. Hindi ako matitinag sa anumang panggigipit, pananakot, political maneuvering para talikuran ang aking paninindigan. I will not yield to threats. I will not be intimidated. I will not be pressured into surrendering my independence of judgment,” he added.
To demonstrate what he described as his commitment to accountability, Estrada disclosed that he had directed the Senate Secretary to temporarily suspend the release of his salary.
“Personal kung pasya ito para ipakita sa sambayanang Pilipino na wala akong intensyong makinabang sa pundo ng bayan,” he said.
The senator also emphasized that he would not use his position or the Senate as protection from legal proceedings.
“Nakahanda akong ipagtanggol ang aking sarili sa hukuman at hindi ako magtatago sa institusyong ito upang umiwas sa proseso. Ipagtatanggol ko hanggang sa huli ang akin sarili para patunayan na walang batayan ang mga paratang sa akin. Kalukuhan ang lahat ng ito,” Estrada added.
According to Estrada, records from the Senate Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office allegedly showed no evidence of the reported budget insertions attributed to him in the 2025 national budget.
The Ombudsman, however, stated that the charges arose from what it described as an “intricate mechanism, illegal budgetary insertions and project allocations within the DPWH infrastructure portfolio for fiscal year 2025.”
Investigators alleged that approximately P573 million in kickbacks were funneled to Estrada through infrastructure projects that received funding allocations under the scheme.
Questioning the basis of the complaint, Estrada denied any involvement in the alleged operation.
“How can the Office of the Ombudsman file a case of plunder against me when I am not alleged to be part of or the mastermind of the supposed scheme? Wala po aking kinalaman dyan,” Estrada said.
The senator maintained that the issue extends beyond his personal legal battle and concerns the independence of the Senate as an institution.
“I stand my ground because what is at stake goes far beyond my personal circumstances. What is at stake here is the independence of the Senate. This institution must never become vulnerable to external pressure. It must remain free from political coercion, free from undue influence, and free from any scheme designed to weaken its constitutional role as a co-equal and independent branch of the government,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, now headed by Senator Pia Cayetano, is scheduled to resume its inquiry into the alleged flood control anomalies on June 4, 2026.
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