Sotto: Jinggoy may expose bigger 'pork' issue in speech next week

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who is being implicated in the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam, may drop a bigger bombshell on the supposed misuse of these discretionary funds in a privilege speech next week, Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III said Friday.

 

Asked to give hints on the subject of Estrada's speech, Sotto said in a text message, "Palagay ko it might touch on worse pork barrel issues that are not being brought to light by the media and the Commission on Audit (COA)."

 

Sotto, Estrada's colleague from the Senate minority, did not elaborate. 

 

GMA News Online contacted Estrada to inquire on the topic of his privilege speech, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

 

Fred Aure, a member of Estrada's staff, meanwhile said that there is no definite schedule yet for the embattled senator's speech, except that it will be delivered "next week."

 

On Monday, plunder raps were filed against Estrada and his fellow senators Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. and Juan Ponce Enrile before the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged involvement in the supposed P10-billion pork barrel scam. 

 

Estrada earlier maintained that he has no involvement in the alleged misuse of these discretionary funds. 

 

He also said that it is the duty of implementing agencies, not lawmakers, to check if non-government agencies (NGOs) receiving pork barrel funds are legitimate. —KG, GMA News