Malacañang commends Jinggoy's voluntary surrender: 'Unlike Bato'

Malacañang on Monday welcomed Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s voluntary surrender to the Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), saying it was different from what Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is currently doing.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro welcomes the voluntary surrender of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada: “Hindi na niya pinahirapan ang mga law enforcers hindi tulad…ni Senator Bato. ‘Yan ang dapat na ginagawa ng isang taong alam niya pong may valid warrant of arrest. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/7q6nJXpfkk

— Giselle Ombay (@giselleombay_) June 1, 2026

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro made the remark in an interview with reporters shortly after Estrada held a press conference announcing his surrender following an arrest warrant issued by the Sandiganbayan for plunder.

“Maganda ang ginawa ni Senator Jinggoy na siya ay boluntaryong sumuko. Hindi niya pinahirapan ang mga law enforcers, hindi katulad ng nangyayari ngayon kay Senator Bato,” Castro said.

(Senator Jinggoy did the right thing by voluntarily surrendering. He did not make things difficult for law enforcers, unlike what is happening now with Senator Bato.)

"‘Yan ang dapat ginagawa ng taong alam niyang may valid warrant of arrest," she added.

(That is what a person should do when he knows there is a valid warrant of arrest.)

Earlier in the day, the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant of arrest against Estrada, who is facing P573-million plunder and graft charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the flood control scandal.

The issuance came despite motions from his legal counsel to withhold it.

In his press conference, Estrada said he would remain with the Senate majority bloc, while claiming he received offers to abandon the group in exchange for the dismissal of his cases.

Malacañang, however, said the cases against Estrada were not linked to his membership in the 13-member majority bloc.

“Sa ating pagkakaalam, last year pa ay may mga imbestigasyon na kung saan nababanggit na ang kanyang pangalan, hindi lamang sa Senado kundi pati sa House of Representatives. Siya rin ay pinatawag sa ICI, at nabanggit din ang kanyang pangalan sa partial report ni Senator Lacson,” Castro said.

(As far as we know, investigations were already conducted last year in which his name was already mentioned, not only in the Senate but also in the House of Representatives. He was also summoned by the ICI, and his name was likewise mentioned in Senator Lacson’s partial report.)

Castro stressed that the cases should not be linked to Senate bloc realignments or used as grounds for dismissal.

“Kaya hindi po masasabi na ito ay patungkol sa pagbuo ng 13-man majority. Hindi rin po ito dahilan para ma-dismiss ang kaso dahil lamang sa paglipat niya sa minority," she said.

(So it cannot be said that this is about the formation of the 13-man majority. Neither can this be used as a reason to dismiss the case just because he moved to the minority.)

"It would be unfair to the Filipino people kung hindi ito ipagpapatuloy dahil lamang sa ganoong dahilan (if the case is not pursued for that reason alone),” Castro added.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier denied allegations that the administration is targeting the Senate majority bloc, saying the cases filed against some senators stem from the ongoing flood control investigation.

The President also noted that the probes involving some lawmakers began even before the Senate leadership change on May 11, when the current majority bloc was formed.—MCG, GMA News