Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III denied allegations that Senator Jinggoy Estrada was repeatedly invited to join their political group in exchange for the dismissal of the cases filed against him, insisting that the matter is beyond their authority and subject to the rule of law.

Speaking during a minority bloc press briefing on Tuesday, June 2, Sotto rejected claims that Senate groups could influence the Office of the Ombudsman or ongoing legal proceedings tied to the controversial flood control project scandal.

“We don’t have that power. We have no power over the Ombudsman. What happened is the rule of law. What can we do?” Sotto said.

The statement comes amid heightened political tension in the Senate following the filing of plunder and graft charges against Estrada in connection with alleged kickbacks involving flood control projects reportedly worth hundreds of millions of pesos.

Earlier, Estrada was arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) after the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant of arrest against him over the non-bailable plunder case.

Sotto emphasized that legal institutions operate independently and that senators have no authority to influence investigations or dismiss criminal charges filed by the Ombudsman.

The veteran lawmaker’s remarks also come amid ongoing divisions within the Senate, where competing blocs have exchanged accusations over leadership, political alignments, and the handling of high-profile corruption cases.