Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Friday, May 29, Senator Jinggoy Estrada may either surrender or face arrest over plunder and graft charges filed against him by the Office of the Ombudsman.
Interviewed at Camp Karingal, Remulla said Estrada raised concerns about his medical condition, particularly his need for knee replacement surgery.
“We talked yesterday, I called him. I said either surrender or arrest. He said he should think about it. His concern is his knee that needs a knee replacement,” Remulla said when asked about Estrada’s possible arrest.
“So, I said it’s beyond our jurisdiction. So, it’s up to Sandiganbayan. So, we have nothing else to say, we’ll just wait for what the Sandigan says before we issue an arrest, before we execute an arrest.”
Remulla said he personally called Estrada at about 4 p.m. Thursday.
He said authorities would follow standard procedures if Estrada decides to surrender.
“We will process him, take his picture, medical, or all his records, and we will certify him fit for trial and then he will be sent to Sandigan to surrender to the proper judicial authorities,” Remulla said.
He added that he thinks Estrada will “most likely” surrender, noting that it is the third time the senator was ordered arrested.
On Thursday, the Office of the Ombudsman filed plunder and graft charges against Estrada and former Public Works secretary Manuel Bonoan before the Sandiganbayan over “illicit” payouts amounting to PHP573 million. Plunder is a non-bailable offense.
Bato Dela Rosa
Meanwhile, Remulla said the government is considering offering a reward for the arrest of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his alleged role in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.
“We are considering that (reward),” he said during the same interview, as the search for Dela Rosa entered its second week.
“But apparently, it is not effective yet. So, tingnan namin kung ano ang kailangan (we’ll see what needs to be done),” he added.
Remulla urged Dela Rosa to surrender peacefully, even as he assured the public that the search for the fugitive senator continues and that the Philippine National Police (PNP) remains professional.
Dela Rosa served as PNP chief under Duterte.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., meanwhile, said authorities are investigating senators and other individuals allegedly involved in helping Dela Rosa evade arrest after leaving Senate protective custody.
“They (cohorts) know the consequences, especially it’s coddling or helping a person with warrant of arrest,” he added.
Nartatez said investigators reviewed events inside the Senate, from Dela Rosa’s sudden appearance after months in hiding to his reported departure from the Senate premises at about 2:30 a.m. on May 14.
The report, he added, has already been submitted to the Department of Justice.*PNA
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