Jinggoy Estrada Open to Full Investigation
JINGGOY ESTRADA – The senator has firmly declared his willingness to reveal the contents of all his bank accounts to the public following allegations linking him to irregularities in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) flood control projects.
During a Senate session on September 15, Estrada strongly denied the accusations and emphasized that he has nothing to hide. He stated that he is ready to sign any waiver allowing authorities and the public to examine his bank accounts. According to Estrada, this move aims to prove his innocence and show that he has never taken money from government funds intended for public projects.
“Ako, I’m open to investigation. In fact, Mr. President, ngayon pa lang kahit hindi pa nagko-commence ang Blue Ribbon Committee ni Senador Ping Lacson, ngayon pa lang, I’m willing to sign any waiver to open my bank accounts,” Estrada announced during the plenary session.
The controversy began when former DPWH Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez identified Estrada and another senator as officials he allegedly worked for as a “bagman,” or collector of illegal kickbacks from flood control project funds. Hernandez’s testimony sparked public outrage and fueled calls for a deeper investigation into corruption within the DPWH.
Estrada, however, firmly denied receiving any kickbacks. He challenged Hernandez to take a public lie detector test to determine who is telling the truth. Estrada stressed that the accusations are baseless and politically motivated, intended to damage his reputation.
Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III confirmed that Brice Hernandez was transferred back to Senate custody after a court hearing. Hernandez was previously jailed after testifying that Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva were involved in DPWH flood control project anomalies. His return was approved for safety reasons and to ensure fairness, following a request from his lawyer.