Senator Jinggoy Estrada leaves the residence of his father, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, in Greenhills, San Juan on Monday, June 23, to proceed to Camp Crame to surrender following the issuance of an arrest warrant against him and several others in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito on Wednesday refused to comment on the statement of his brother, detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada, that the counter-State of the Nation Address (SONA) set to be delivered next week does not have the blessing of the minority bloc.
Ejercito said he does not want to argue with his brother who is currently detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame over plunder and graft charges in connection with the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam.
“I would not like to comment anymore. Bakit naman ako mang-aaway pa kung nasa ganon na ang kalagayan niya di ba? Intindihin ko na lang,” he said.
Senator Vicente Sotto III, now the Senate minority leader, said what Estrada “probably meant is that the speech is a point of personal privilege.”
On Tuesday, Estrada said the counter-SONA to be delivered week lacks the inputs of other senators belonging to the minority bloc.
“I think he is doing it on his own without any authority coming from the minority bloc. Si Minority Floor Leader namin nakakulong din, walang input si Senate Minority Floor Leader Enrile, wala akong input. I don’t think may input si Senator (Vicente III) Sotto at (Senator Gregorio II) Honasan and Senator Nancy Binay,” Jinggoy told reporters after his bail hearing at the Sandiganbayan.
On Monday, Ejercito said the minority bloc will be delivering a kontra-SONA to show the ‘real score’ of the country.
The sons of former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada have been at odds for some time now.
The situation turned for the worse after Ejercito signed the Senate blue ribbon committee report recommending charges to be filed against the three senators involved in the pork barrel scam. (MNS)