Jinggoy: I am innocent

Senator decries ‘selective justice’

MANILA, Philippines - As his arrest for plunder looms, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada delivered an impassioned privilege speech yesterday declaring anew his innocence in the pork barrel scam and decrying what he called “selective prosecution” of his case and others in the political opposition linked to the anomaly.

Highlighting his speech was a video presentation titled “Selective Justice,” purportedly showing some officials’ bias against him and his co-accused – Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Ramon Revilla Jr.

“I am firm in my conviction that I am innocent of all charges,” he said in Filipino. “I want to emphasize, I’m no thief. I know what I deserve and what is needed for the benefit of our countrymen.”

His privilege speech came two days after Revilla faced the Senate with a similarly emotional speech in which he thanked individual senators in what many thought was his farewell message.

Despite his pending arrest, Estrada though hinted he would be around when Congress resumes session in July.

“My integrity, principle and good name are intact because I’ve never stolen from the country’s coffers,” he said.

Estrada said he is prepared to fight in the legal arena, exhaust all legal remedies to prove his detractors wrong.

“I will fight in accordance with the legal process. I will embrace the legal process not only for myself but especially for my family and for our countrymen who still believe that we can still trust and be proud of this nation,” he said.

Estrada said he remains strong in the belief that the accusations that he had pocketed millions of pork barrel funds had no basis and would not stand scrutiny of the court.

He said he and his family are firm believers in the rule of law and of what is enshrined in the Constitution.

He had consoling words for his wife Precy and their children Janella, Jolo, Julian and Jill, who were seated at the VIP gallery along with their friends from showbiz like Philip Salvador and Bayani Agbayani.

Estrada also asked forgiveness from his wife for the pain that he may have caused her, and professed his love for her even in the face of the possibility that they may not be able to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary because of his possible detention.

Estrada urged his children to heed his advice that they remain God-fearing, humble and respectable in their ways. “You should all be proud to be Estradas,”he said.

“The fight goes on. It just started. I will not allow them to destroy my name with the charges they throw my way,” he said in Filipino.

“I will prove to you that I did not abuse the post you have entrusted me,” Estrada said, addressing the millions of voters who put him in office.

He said even incarceration would not make a dent on his principles.

He also urged his parents, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and Loi Ejercito, not to worry about him.

He also thanked his siblings Jacqueline and Jude for their support. The two were also in the Senate gallery.

Estrada, , did not address his half-brother, Sen. Juan Victor Ejercito, who was at the plenary hall as he delivered his speech.

‘Keep the faith’

The senator’s staff wore white shirts with the words “Keep the faith and hold on!” printed in light blue in front and “It might be stormy now, but the sun will shine again” at the back.

Estrada again decried the “selective prosecution” by the Department of Justice, Office of the Ombudsman and the Blue Ribbon committee of personalities involved in the pork barrel controversy.

He questioned why only his name and those of his opposition colleagues were repeatedly mentioned in newspaper headlines.

“As I have said in my first privilege speech, there has been a serialized and obvious concerted effort in the media to demonize me along with other members of this chamber allegedly involved,” he said.

Estrada said that he, Enrile and Revilla were served up at breakfast, lunch, merienda and dinner, “and this still holds true to this day.”

Estrada cited the “prejudice and biased manner by which the ombudsman presided over the case.”

At the same time, Estrada questioned the ombudsman’s recommendation for the creation of two special divisions of the Sandiganbayan to speed up the proceedings against the accused.

“I believe what is being bruited about as the rationale for this request of speedy trial, a very lame excuse for such an obvious attempt to hand pick the men and women who are disposed to convict us,” he said.

Estrada said he was sure that what the ombudsman really wanted was not a speedy trial but a “speedy convicting court.”

He also condemned the April Fool’s Day move to file charges against him by the ombudsman and the announcement of the Blue Ribbon committee report on the issue.

He also lambasted what he described as “selective media reporting” when the hard drive of main whistle-blower Benhur Luy revealed many more names – 20 senators and 100 congressmen – linked to the scam.

Estrada recalled that even alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles mentioned that Budget Secretary Florencio Abad had mentored her in the ways of using non-government organizations (NGOs) to skim funds from PDAF.

He also asked why Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales failed to lift a finger on the alleged misuse of pork barrel funds of House deputy speaker Neptali Gonzales.

Morales showed bias against him and his two colleagues, Estrada said, noting her disposition and statements when former presidential social secretary Ruby Tuason was applying to become state witness.

He also decried the way the Blue Ribbon committee handled the public hearings on the pork barrel scam. He said he felt scorned and vilified by the committee.

To prove that he had no intention of leaving the country, Estrada told the chamber of the time when he and his father had to squarely face accusations of accepting jueteng bribes.

The elder Estrada was found guilty of plunder but was later granted presidential pardon by former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The case against Jinggoy was dismissed for lack of evidence.

The younger Estrada admitted that he is anticipating his arrest despite what he described as the unfair treatment that he and his colleagues are getting from the ombudsman and the DOJ.

He lamented he cannot actively participate in the coming session days as he foresees the issuance of the warrants of arrest by next week.

Congress went into sine die adjournment yesterday.