Palace defends Duterte endorsement of Jinggoy's Senate comeback bid

Malacañang  defended on Monday President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to back the senatorial bid of Jinggoy Estrada who is facing plunder and graft cases at the Sandiganbayan in connection with the pork barrel scam.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Estrada, who was endorsed by Duterte days before the start of the campaign period on Tuesday, is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Panelo also said Estrada was granted temporary liberty, meaning the evidence of guilt against the former senator was not strong at this point of the legal proceedings.

"You cannot be assuming, presuming and spreading the guilt of the person unless he has been finally convicted. And you will only appreciate this when you yourself are charged and people start saying you are guilty," Panelo said at a news conference.

"We have to respect the Constitution. We have to bow to the majesty of what the Constitution says: the presumption of innocence prevails regardless of who you are, whether you an ally or a friend," he added.

Panelo also said Duterte's endorsement of Estrada would not hurt the President's tough stance against corruption. Duterte has repeatedly said he would fire government officials for even a "whiff of corruption."

"The survey will tell you that the President has made many perceived to be unpopular decisions and yet the survey [indicating his high popularity] remains," the Palace official said. 

"[The] Filipino people trust this man. They are confident and believe in his judgment and ultimately it's the people who will decide anyway," he added.

Panelo also addressed the question on whether Duterte was willing to overlook the corruption allegations against the family of Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, whom the chief executive is also endorsing for senator.

The Palace official said Marcos, who Duterte claimed to have supported his presidential campaign in 2016, is not facing any corruption charges.

Duterte is a political ally of the Marcoses and a vocal admirer of the late former President Ferdinand Marcos, who was laid to rest at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on November 18, 2016 following support from the President himself and later, the Supreme Court.

Malacañang had also said Duterte might resign if former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. wins his electoral protest against Vice President Leni Robredo, whom the President deemed incompetent to take on the country’s top job. —LDF, GMA News