JV Ejercito was asked about his brother Jinggoy Estrada
Senator JV Ejercito admitted that he has stopped talking to his brother, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, amid the controversy over flood control projects involving the latter.
To recall, Estrada was one of the senators accused of receiving kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects. In previous interviews, the actor-turned-politician has denied the allegations against him.
In an interview on Bilyonaryo News Channel’s Politiko Talks, Ejercito talked about his brother and his fellow senator, based on the article in Abante.
Senator JV Ejercito said that they are not really close and that their relationship has been strained for a long time. In 2022, they ended their “hidwaan” during the proclamation of winning senators. They were seen hugging and congratulating each other.
In an interview back then, Estrada said that he took the initiative to approach and congratulate his younger first. However, that “reconciliation” went back to no communication once again.
“Hindi ko siya nakakausap eh… well siyempre, kahit papaano, kahit hindi kami close, hindi kami magkasundo noon,” Ejercito said.
The senator said their disagreements deepened when he took over as mayor of San Juan in place of his brother. Ejercito said that he stopped by his older brother when the flood control issue exploded.
He also shared how their conflict deepened. Ejercito said that it was when he took over the position of mayor in San Juan. For him, his older brother did not like his strategy in running the city, in addition to the fact that he had his own people working under his administration back then.
“Siguro pareho kaming nasa politika. Especially, I think nag-worsen ito nung… ako kasi pumalit sa mayor eh. After nung naalis siya, siyempre meron akong sariling tao, meron siya. May sarili akong diskarte, meron akong mga nasagasaan na ilan. Galing akong corporate world, medyo iba ‘yung palakad ko,” Sen. JV Ejercito.
When asked how his brother is doing now, Ejercito said, “At least ‘pag sa Senado, ‘pag in session naman.”