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Jinggoy opposes move to transfer him to Camp Bagong Diwa


Detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Tuesday opposed the prosecution's move to transfer him and the other accused in the alleged pork barrel scam to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.

“Bakit kami isasali sa mga hardened or convicted criminals? We are not convicts,” Estrada told reporters after the hearing on his bail petition at the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division.

Estrada is facing plunder and graft charges in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam where he supposedly pocketed P183.7 million in government funds. This was the second time he was charged with plunder. In 2001 he was a co-accused of his father, then-President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who was convicted and later on granted executive clemency.

On Tuesday, government prosecutors asked the Sandiganbayan to transfer the detention of Estrada, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., lawyer Richard Cambe, and alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles to Camp Bagong Diwa, which is under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

They said the stay of Estrada, Revilla and Cambe at PNP Custodial Center and Napoles at Fort Sto. Domingo smacks of “special treatment as they are subjected to different rules and procedure not afforded to all other detention prisoners under BJMP control.”

Estrada said his lawyers will formally oppose the request but admitted that it is up to the Sandiganbayan to decide where he and his co-accused will be detained.

“But as far as I’m concerned, it is very clear sa commitment order namin na sa PNP (Philippine National Police) Custodial Center kami ma-detain,” he said.

He also defended the celebration of his 25th wedding anniversary with wife Precy inside the PNP facility, which reportedly lasted up to the wee hours in violation of existing rules on visiting hours.

“Hindi naman party yun, it was of course sa aming mag-asawa we consider it a milestone, kahit naman sino sa inyo pag umabot na sa 25th wedding anniversary you consider it as a milestone,” Estrada said.

He added that before an arrest warrant was issued against him, he and his wife were already planning to hold a simple get-together with their close friends and relatives in a restaurant.

“Pero inabutan na ako ng pag-issue ng warrant of arrest kaya we have no choice but to invite the close friends and relatives. Actually we heard Mass there (PNP Custodial Center). Nagkaroon ng misa at nagkaroon din ng konting salu-salo,” he said.

“Yung mga lechon na pinakita ng media [ay] mga regalo yun, so how can we refuse naman to accept yung mga pagkain?” Estrada asked.

The incident resulted in the relief of PNP Custodial Center warden, Supt. Mario Manala. —KBK, GMA News

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