Amid the Existence of Precautionary Hold Departure Order, DOJ Speaks on Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s Attempt to Leave PH
DOJ – The Department of Justice confirmed that it will oppose the request of Senator Jinggoy Estrada for a travel permit.
Amid the flood control mess in the Philippines, one of the senators implicated in the supposed multi-billion flood control corruption issue is Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. Then, Estrada was the Senate President Pro Tempore when the issue broke out.
Aside from Estrada, then-Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero and then-Senate floor majority leader Joel Villanueva were also tagged in the flood control mess. The chamber had a shakeup that brought the three (3) senators to the minority bloc.
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada claimed that he is innocent from the flood control allegations against him. Then, he stressed that he is allegedly an “easy target” because of the allegations against him in line with the controversial Pork Barrel Scam.
Recently, amid an existing precautionary Hold Departure Order that was issued by a Manila Regional Trial Court against him over the supposed flood control anomalies, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada is seeking for a travel permit to leave the Philippines during the Holy Week.
Estrada intends to visit three (3) countries from March 31 to April 5. The Senator is set to visit Japan, Macau, and Hong Kong during his Holy Week travel. However, the DOJ stressed that they will oppose the request of Estrada for a travel permit.
Based on a report on PhilStar, DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez confirmed that the justice department will oppose the request of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada for an authority to travel. The Justice department’s Spox stressed that the Senator is allegedly a flight risk.
“The DOJ maintains that he is a flight risk and must not leave the country,” the DOJ official said.
Currently, in the 20th Congress, there are two (2) sons of former Pres. Joseph Ejercito Estrada who are in the Senate. Previously, one of the sons of the former Chief Executive, Sen. JV Ejercito, claimed that he stopped talking to his brother, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, amid the flood control issue.