In response to charges filed against him before the Sandiganbayan, Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Thursday said that if the case was the “price to pay” for upholding his principles and beliefs, “so be it.”

Moreover, Estrada declared he will persist in uncovering the truth and clearing his name in the proper forums, in line with the law.

“As I have said before, if this is the price that I have to pay for standing by my principles and for what I believe in, then so be it. Ipagpapatuloy ko ang paghahanap ng katotohanan at ang pagtatanggol sa aking pangalan sa tamang forum at alinsunod sa batas,” he said in a statement.

The senator said he and his lawyers will “exhaust all legal remedies,” and call attention to purported irregularities in the filing process and evidence against him.

Estrada cited the Senate Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office (LBRMO) letter declaring that he has no records of having insertions in the 2025 national budget.

“Isa itong mahalagang ebidensya na tahasang pinapabulaanan ang lahat ng alegasyon laban sa akin, subalit sadyang isinantabi,” he said.

In addition, he said he was not allowed to sufficiently examine the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) resolutions, so that he may provide a proper explanation of his position, prior to the complaints being filed before the anti-graft court.

He also noted that cases concerning several members of the majority bloc, himself included, appeared to have been expedited since the change in Senate leadership.

“Kapanasin-pansin din na, mula nang magpalit ng liderato sa Senado, naging mabilis ang pag-usad ng mga kasong kinasasangkutan ng ilang miyembro ng majority bloc,” he wrote.

“Barely a week after the DOJ issued its Resolution in my case, agad nagsampa ng kaso ang Ombudsman nang hindi nagsasagawa ng sarili nitong masusi at independent fact-finding investigation. Sa ilalim ng umiiral na proseso, mahalagang bahagi ang fact-finding investigation bago magsampa ng kaso sa Sandiganbayan,” he explained, adding that the Ombudsman had previously said that its office will conduct its own “independent review and resolution on the merits of the case.”

The Ombudsman earlier filed plunder and graft charges against Estrada in connection with anomalies in flood control projects. Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano personally led the filing of the cases, according to RH 5 Val Gonzales.