Senator Jinggoy Estrada surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on Monday, June 1, 2026, following the issuance of an arrest warrant against him for plunder. The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division issued the warrant on Monday afternoon, targeting Estrada and four others: former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel Bonoan, Assistant District Engineer Denryl Caesar Cortuna, District Engineer Manny Bulusan, and District Engineer Arturo Gonzales Jr. They are implicated in alleged anomalies related to flood control projects.
Estrada's Response to Charges
In a press conference at the Senate on Monday, Estrada declared his readiness to face the charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman. “I will not be broken by accusations nor will I yield to political pressure. I will meet these charges head on, defend my honor to due process, and place my faith in the truth,” he stated. He also revealed that he was allegedly pressured to leave the Senate majority bloc, led by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, in exchange for the dismissal of his cases. “Maraming beses po akong inalok na talikuran ang independent majority bloc kapalit ng pagbabasura ng aking kaso ngunit hindi ko po ito tinanggap. Mas nanaig ang paninindigan ko na akoy manatili sa hanay ng mga ksamahan ko sa independent majority bloc,” he told the media. (I was offered many times to abandon the independent majority bloc in exchange for the dismissal of my case, but I did not accept it. My decision to stand firm prevailed, and I chose to remain with my colleagues in the independent majority bloc.)
Estrada emphasized his loyalty to the majority bloc under Cayetano's leadership. “I will remain firmly with the majority bloc under the leadership of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. Hindi ako matitinag sa anumang panggigipit, pananakot, political maneuvering para talikuran ang aking paninindigan. I will not yield to threats. I will not be intimidated. I will not be pressured into surrendering my independence of judgment,” he added.
Salary Suspension and Surrender
Estrada announced that he personally instructed the Senate secretary to put his salary on hold to demonstrate that he has no intention of benefiting from public funds. “Personal kung pasya ito para ipakita sa sambayanang Pilipino na wala akong intensyong makinabang sa pundo ng bayan,” he said. (This is my personal decision to show the Filipino people that I have no intention of benefiting from public funds.) He stressed that his surrender is proof that he will not use the Senate as a shield against the allegations. “Nakahanda akong ipagtanggol ang aking sarili sa hukuman at hindi ako magtatago sa institusyong ito upang umiwas sa proseso. Ipagtatanggol ko hanggang sa huli ang akin sarili para patunayan na walang batayan ang mga paratang sa akin. Kalukuhan ang lahat ng ito,” Estrada added. (I am prepared to defend myself in court, and I will not hide from this institution to avoid the legal process. I will defend myself until the end to prove that the allegations against me have no basis. All of this is nonsense.)
Allegations and Ombudsman's Case
The Ombudsman earlier stated that the charges stem from an “intricate mechanism, illegal budgetary insertions and project allocations within the DPWH infrastructure portfolio for fiscal year 2025.” Prosecutors claim that approximately PHP 573 million in alleged kickbacks were delivered to Estrada after funneling funds into designated infrastructure projects. Estrada questioned the basis of the plunder charge, noting that he is not alleged to be part of or the mastermind of the supposed scheme. “How can the Office of the Ombudsman file a case of plunder against me when I am not alleged to be part of or the mastermind of the supposed scheme? Wala po aking kinalaman dyan,” he said. (I have nothing to do with that.)
He also pointed out that the Senate Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office found no documents or records showing the alleged 2025 national budget insertions he reportedly received. Estrada defended his stance, saying, “I stand my ground because what is at stake goes far beyond my personal circumstances. What is at stake here is the independence of the Senate. This institution must never become vulnerable to external pressure. It must remain free from political coercion, free from undue influence, and free from any scheme designed to weaken its constitutional role as a co-equal and independent branch of the government.”
Upcoming Senate Investigation
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, now chaired by Senator Pia Cayetano, will resume its investigation into the flood control anomalies on June 4, 2026. Estrada's surrender and his statements have set the stage for a contentious legal and political battle as he seeks to clear his name while defending the Senate's independence.
