Jonvic Remulla says he gave Jinggoy Estrada options amid senator's expected arrest

Interior Secretary Juanito Victor "Jonvic" Remulla has discussed with Sen. Jinggoy Estrada the latter's options amid the expected issuance of a warrant of arrest by the Sandiganbayan.

Remulla said this after the Ombudsman announced it had filed plunder and graft charges against Estrada in connection with the flood control projects scandal, specifically alleged illegal budget insertionsin the Department of Public Works and Highways, as well as illicit payouts amounting to P573 million.

"Talked to him already. I gave him options, and he said he will think about it," Remulla said in a text message to reporters.

Remulla said the options will remain secret until Estrada accepts or rejects them.

Estrada said he would "exhaust all legal remedies" after plunder and graft cases were filed against him.

In a statement, Estrada said his legal team is preparing the necessary steps to challenge what he described as procedural irregularities as well as the alleged failure to consider vital pieces of evidence favorable to his case.

Among these pieces of evidence, the senator said, is the Senate Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office (LBRMO) letter indicating he did not make insertions in the 2025 national budget.

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“The cases stem from an intricate mechanism involving illegal budgetary insertions and project allocations within the DPWH infrastructure portfolio for fiscal year 2025," Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said.

"Our evaluation shows that substantial public funds were deliberately funneled into designated infrastructure projects in exchange for predetermined commission fees or kickbacks,” he added.

“Case records point to an accumulated sum of illicit payouts amounting to an aggregate sum of over P573 million, which were systematically delivered to the principal respondent, Senator Jinggoy Estrada,” Clavano said. –NB, GMA News