Malacañang said on Tuesday that Senator Jinggoy Estrada was arrested and did not voluntarily surrender following the issuance of a warrant of arrest against him in connection with a non-bailable plunder case.
During a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro backed the earlier statement of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla, saying authorities had already arrived at the Senate to serve the arrest warrant before Estrada held his press conference.
“Tama po ang pananaw ni Sec. Jonvic na hindi po ito voluntary surrender kundi pag-aresto,” Castro said.
“Nung magsalita si Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, sinabi niyang siya ay magvo-voluntary surrender pero lumalabas po, ayon na rin kay Sec. Jonvic Remulla, nandoon na po sila sa Senado to serve the warrant of arrest,” Castro said.
“Mag-aaresto na po sila, humingi na lang ng pagkakataon itong si Sen. Jinggoy kung siya ay maaari pang magbigay ng statement,”
She added that the senator only asked authorities for time to make a public statement before he was taken into custody.
According to Castro, Estrada did not personally go to law enforcement authorities, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the Philippine National Police (PNP), or the Sandiganbayan to surrender himself.
“Nauna po ang pagsisilbi ng warrant of arrest bago ang kanyang presscon. So matatawag po itong pag-aresto dahil hindi po boluntaryong pumunta si Sen. Jinggoy mismo sa law enforcers, hindi pumunta sa CIDG, sa PNP, o sa korte sa Sandiganbayan,” Castro said.
Castro maintained that Remulla was correct in describing the incident as an arrest rather than a voluntary surrender.
On Monday, June 1, Estrada faced the media in an emotional press conference attended by several majority senators and DILG Secretary Remulla.
During the press conference, Estrada said he would proceed to the CIDG to voluntarily surrender after the Sandiganbayan issued a second warrant of arrest against him in connection with the plunder case.
“I will be proceeding now to the CIDG to voluntarily surrender myself,” Estrada said.
The senator also declared that he was prepared to face the consequences of the charges and would not yield to political pressure.
“If this is the price I must pay for the decisions I have made and the principles I have chosen to uphold, then I am prepared to face the consequences, however difficult they may be, especially for my family,” Estrada said.
“I will not be broken by accusations, nor will I yield to political pressure. I will meet these charges head-on, defend my honor through due process, and place my faith in the truth,” he added.
Estrada and his co-accused are currently detained at the Quezon City Jail in Payatas.
The case involves allegations that Estrada received around P573 million in kickbacks linked to flood control projects. The plunder charge is non-bailable and carries the penalty of reclusion perpetua if convicted.
Meanwhile, former Public Works Secretary Manny Bonoan remains confined at the Philippine National Police General Hospital in Camp Crame after reportedly suffering from elevated blood pressure.
