Apr 182014
 
The Office of the Ombudsman has denied the camp of Senator Jinggoy Estrada access to the affidavits of other respondents in the plunder complaint filed against him in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam.

In a text message on Friday, lawyer Alexis Abastillas, Estrada’s legal spokesman, confirmed that the Ombudsman denied their request to be “furnished a copy of the affidavits of new witnesses, whose testimonies were used” in the resolution recommending plunder charges against the senator.

“We have received it. It’s a real denial of due process,” Abastillas accused.

He added that their camp has already appealed this decision, through the motion of reconsideration they filed last April 7.

Last month, Estrada’s lawyers asked the Ombudsman for copies of sworn affidavits of government witnesses Ruby Tuason and Dennis Cunanan.

On April 1, the Office of the Ombudsman announced that it has decided to charge Senators Estrada, Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. and Juan Ponce Enrile with plunder for allegedly pocketing millions in their pork barrel funds through a scam supposedly engineered by detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.

Both Estrada and Revilla have already filed their respective motion seeking the dismissal of the plunder charges against them, claiming the accusations have no basis.

On the other hand, Enrile had not given any statements to the media since the release of the Ombudsman’s recommendation.  –– KBK, GMA News

Apr 072014
 
Jinggoy to appeal Ombudsman’s decision on plunder raps over ‘pork’ scam

Senator Jinggoy Estrada shows some documents during his privilege speech on the controversial Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) issue at the Senate on Wednesday (March 12, 2014). (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Although he called the Office of the Ombudsman’s investigation as “moro-moro,” Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Wednesday said he will appeal the decision to file plunder charges against him over the alleged pork barrel scam. Estrada said his camp will file a motion for reconsideration before the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday next week, although he is pessimistic about this move. “Maghahain na po kami sa darating na Lunes sapagkat natanggap na po ng aking abogado ang joint resolution na nanggaling po sa Ombudsman. Siyempre ine-expect ko na ibabasura nila iyon. Pero siyempre, we will exert all legal remedies,” the senator said. On Tuesday, the Office of the Ombudsman announced that it has decided to charge Senators Estrada, Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile with plunder over the pork barrel scam. The three senators are being accused of pocketing the kickbacks from the alleged scam, supposedly engineered by detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles. They have earlier denied these allegations. Estrada added that even before the recommendations were made, he did not fully trust the Ombudsman’s deliberations on the plunder charge. “Alam naman namin na moro-moro na lang iyan. Kaya ito na nga ang nangyari. Mukha talagang [minadali] ang kaso laban sa amin. It took them only six months to read voluminous documents,” he said. Revilla’s camp had also earlier Read More …

Nov 022013
 
Senator Jinggoy Estrada departs for the US

Senator Jinggoy Estrada promised the Philippines that, like Gen. Dougls MacArthur shortly after his harrowing escape from Corregidor, “he will return.” This was before the Senator left for the United States on Saturday morning amid the political controversies dogging him, including the P10 billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scandal. Sen. Estrada insisted he would return to the Philippines before the Senate session resumes on November 17 according to a report on GMA’s “Balitanghali” program on Saturday noon. The Senator added that he isn’t avoiding the imminent Senate probe where Janet Lim Napoles, alleged pork barrel scam queen, will be attending and scheduled to be questioned for her involvement in the said scam. Earlier, the Justice Department requested that the Department of Foreign Affairs cancel Estrada’s passport due to the plunder and malversation raps he was facing. But since this was only a complaint and not a charge the “hold departure” order was not implemented. Among some of those also recommended for passport cancellation were Senators Bong Revilla and Juan Ponce Enrile. The Ombudsman filed plunder and malversation of public funds raps on September 16 against Estrada, Revilla, and Enrile, among others. Sen. Estrada left to accompany his wife who sought treatment in the US after discovering a lump on her breast. – KDM, GMA News