A vicious cycle of retribution

Released in September last year from his Camp Crame detention cell in Quezon City, former Senator Jinggoy Estrada appeared for the first time in a full-blown media interaction in our regular Kapihan sa Manila Bay at Cafe Adriatico in Remedios Circle in Malate. Still under court-jurisdiction because of his pending plunder cases at the Sandiganbayan, the former Senator largely talked about politics and his experience when his last term in office was cut short by his more than three years detention.

As the new president of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), ex-Sen. Estrada hopes to revitalize their party this year to prepare for the coming May 2019 mid-term elections. The PMP chairman is former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile who like ex-Sen. Estrada and fellow actor-turned politician Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. were detained on plunder charges after allegations of personally enriching themselves out of their respective “pork-barrel” allocations in the Congress-approved budget.

Under the budgetary item called Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), they were among the several lawmakers indicted for allegedly funneling these public funds in cahoots with businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles to “bogus” non-government organizations.

Of the three ex-Senators, only Revilla remains detained at Camp Crame. The Supreme Court (SC) earlier granted the bail petitions of Enrile in August 2015 and Estrada in 2017. After attending our Kapihan, Estrada flew to Cagayan de Oro City to attend the PDAF hearing of the Sandiganbayan where a portion of his PDAF was allegedly dispensed there.

During our Kapihan breakfast forum, Estrada walked us through the past several months after December 2012 when he, Enrile and 18 other Senators voted to impeach then SC chief justice Renato Corona.

In a stinging privilege speech, then Senator Estrada exposed about the release of funds by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), then headed by Secretary Florencio Abad, of amounts ranging from P50 to P100 million. Since these funds were not contained in the Congress-approved budget for that year, Estrada questioned the DBM releases of these amounts at a time the PDAF controversy already erupted.

Abad confirmed the existence of the funds but justified its release as part of the newly created Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) of the Aquino administration. Previously unheard of, Abad explained the creation of DAP as response to public complaints about the government’s under-spending on basic infrastructure projects.

Not availing this offered “additional” funding support supposedly for senators’ pet projects, Estrada swore he cast a vote of conscience to convict Corona not for the expectation of getting a “reward” nor “incentive” to do so.

Perceived as eyeing a run for vice presidential post in the 2016 elections, Estrada paid a dear price for it. Plunder charges were subsequently filed against Estrada, along with Enrile and Revilla by then Department of Justice (DOJ) and now Senator Leila de Lima.

Fast forward. If Estrada’s comeback bid to the Senate pushes through, he will enter the race along with his half-brother Sen. JV Ejercito who is seeking his second and last term at the Senate. Their father, former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada much earlier announced his plans to run also in next year’s elections for his third and last term at City Hall. Let me refer to Jinggoy, his pet name, to differentiate him from the rest of his political clan. 

Jinggoy admitted he is not in favor of the renewed proposal to legislate a ban on political dynasty in the Philippines. Jinggoy, however, is amenable to regulate the participation of political clans in elections.

At the end of the day, Jinggoy pointed out, the voters themselves will decide whom to put into office.

In their own bailiwick, the Estrada political clan is being challenged by another political clan. Jinggoy’s eldest daughter Janella, currently the Vice Mayor of San Juan City, is being groomed by the Estrada clan to run to replace outgoing San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez, who is serving her third and last term.

Mayor Gomez – JV’s mother – is currently facing recall election sought by Francis Zamora who run but miserably lost in the mayoral race in San Juan City during the May 2016 elections. Francis is the son of incumbent San Juan City Congressman Ronaldo Zamora.

The Zamoras were recently inducted to PDP-Laban party of President Rodrigo Duterte. Naturally, this angered Sen. JV who has openly supported the administration’s legislative agenda at the 17th Congress.

On the other hand, Mayor/President Estrada is allied with presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. The Estrada clan’s alliance with Mayor Sara could save the day for the candidates of the PMP whose ranks have diminished among the elected officials of the party.

Claiming he is victim of “selective justice” during the Aquino administration, Jinggoy is confident history will repeat itself that he would later on be acquitted again in court. He won his first term at the Senate in 2004 while still undergoing trial on his first plunder case where he was acquitted in 2007 as co-accused in the jueteng charges against his father. The elder Estrada, however, was later convicted after he was ousted from Malacanang by former president now Pampanga Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. 

Enrile, Jinggoy and Mrs. Arroyo whom the Aquino administration sent into hospital detention were all freed on bail. Meanwhile, the vicious cycle of retribution is unfolding, with former Aquino administration officials now getting it as the wheels of justice grind.

Former President Noy Aquino who is charged with major criminal charges, now faces the prospects of detention. De Lima is cooling her heels in Camp Crame detention for illegal drug conspiracy raps. Corona’s successor, incumbent Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno is going through ouster via  quo warranto and impeachment proceedings.

Perhaps, it’s wishful thinking when will this vicious cycle ever end.