Jinggoy Estrada to pursue legal remedies amid 90-day suspension

Detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada said he is open to availing all legal remedies following the Sandiganbayan’s issuance of a 90-day preventive suspension order against him.

“At this stage, I remain open to availing myself of all legal remedies under the law,” he said in a statement following the anti-graft court’s order on Tuesday.

Estrada said he will not invoke any privileges as a senator to shield himself from the allegations against him in connection with the flood control scandal.

“Even prior to the issuance of the Sandiganbayan’s Order today, I have already taken clear and deliberate steps to demonstrate that I will not, and will never, use the powers and privileges of my office to shield myself from the allegations being hurled against me,” he said

Estrada said he took the steps to avoid any doubt on his intention to respect due process and to clear his name before the proper forum.

“Ayokong mabigyan ng anumang bahid ng pagdududa ang aking layunin na igalang ang proseso at patunayan ang aking sarili sa tamang forum," he said.

(I do not want any shadow of doubt cast on my intention to respect the process and prove my case in the proper forum.)

"Ginawa ko ang mga hakbang na ito dahil sa paninindigan at prinsipyo,” he further said.

(I took these steps because of conviction and principle.)

Estrada has a pending graft charge over his alleged involvement in the flood control mess. He is also facing separate plunder and graft cases before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division in connection with alleged corruption in flood control projects.

Moreover, the senator is also facing 11 counts of graft related to his alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), all of which have been pending since 2014.—MCG, GMA News