Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Monday, June 1 formally surrendered to the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), ending speculation about his next move amid plunder charges linked to the flood control scandal.
Before being escorted to Camp Crame, Estrada faced the media at the Senate, declaring that his decision to yield to authorities was a matter of principle.
He stressed that he would not allow threats or political maneuvering to sway him from supporting newly-installed Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and the majority bloc.
“I will not yield to threats. I will not be intimidated. I will not be pressured into surrendering my independence of judgment,” Estrada said firmly.
Estrada underscored that his surrender was not an act of weakness but a demonstration of accountability.
He rejected protective custody from the Senate and announced he would forgo his salary while fighting his case at the Sandiganbayan, saying he would not use public funds or the institution as a shield.
He insisted the accusations against him were baseless, pointing to the absence of documentary evidence from the Senate Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office.
]Despite offers to abandon the majority bloc in exchange for leniency, Estrada said he chose to stand his ground, framing his surrender as part of a larger fight to preserve the Senate’s independence.
“I am prepared to defend myself in court and will not hide behind this institution to avoid the process,” he declared.
Immediately after the briefing, Estrada walked with arresting officers from the PNP-CIDG, who escorted him back to Camp Crame to begin his legal battle. (Hannah Torregoza)
