Tag Archives: Jinggoy Estrada

Government, Law Enforcement, Politics

PHILIPPINE SENATOR LEGISLATES FROM INSIDE HIS JAIL CELL

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Senator Estrada
Senator Estrada

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – It is often said that misery needs company and that corrupt officials want to flock together. Such seems to be the case with one Filipino senator who continues to legislate as a member of the Senate despite being in jail.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada is in prison for charges of plunder and 11 counts of graft in connection with the alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund, more popularly known as pork barrel.

Estrada has called on the Senate Blue Ribbon committee to conduct an inquiry into the alleged anomalous activities at the Bureau of Customs (BOC), particularly efforts to raise P3 billion in campaign funds for the administration party for the elections next year.

He filed Senate Resolution 1306, calling for the probe, after the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) alleged that the BOC was being forced to raise the amount for the Liberal Party’s campaign in 2016.

Resigned Customs chief John Philip Sevilla, however, had denied the allegation.

“There is a need to immediately investigate and address this matter to prevent the public money to be used for a particular person’s or group’s  political agenda,” the resolution read.

Estrada’s critics immediately reacted to the proposed legislation by asking, “What about the public money you pocketed, Mr. Senator?”

The senator, who is the son of former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, mainstains that his proposal shows his continuing commitment to public service and his oath of office as an elected official. (Joseph Estrada was, himself, convicted and imprisoned for corruption during his term as president, but was later pardoned by his successor President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.)

It’s more fun in the Philippines.

Law Enforcement, Politics

WHAT JAILED PHILIPPINE SENATORS GOT FOR CHRISTMAS

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L-R: Senators Estrada, Revilla and Enrile

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Christmas, especially for Filipinos, is a time for giving, compassion and goodwill. So what did jailed Philippine Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla get for Christmas?

The three senators are facing plunder and graft charges for their alleged involvement in the purported diversion of their Priority Development Assistance Funds (more popularly known as the pork barrel scam) to ghost projects for kickbacks under the scheme of alleged mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

  • Revilla, who from the beginning of his incarceration has complained about prison food, was treated to a Christmas eve dinner (Noche Buena), courtesy of Via Mare, one of the top caterers in the country.
  • Estrada, who has been experiencing migraines because of the heat inside his prison cell, was given a portable airconditioner courtesy of Hitachi Corporation.
  • Enrile, known for his womanizing, was granted visitation rights from his mistresses or anyone of his choosing, at his hospital suite.  Enrile is under hospital arrest at the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital.

In addition, Revilla and Estrada held a joint Christmas party at the community social hall at the PNP Custodial Center.

All these Christmas perks were, of course, courtesy of President NoyNoy Aquino, a devout Catholic, who wanted to show his humanitarian and Christian qualities.

As for Janet Lim-Napoles, she reportedly received a laptop and free Internet connection so that she could watch and re-watch the YouTube video of her daughter Jeanne Napoles’  21st Hollywood birthday bash.

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IS POPE FRANCIS SET TO EXCOMMUNICATE THOSE INDICTED IN THE PHILIPPINES’ PORK BARREL SCAM?

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Rome, Italy (The Adobo Chronicles) – Pope Francis had harsh words for the Italian Mafia on Saturday, describing one crime syndicate as “the adoration of evil” and saying all mafiosi “are excommunicated” from the church. His condemnation was the strongest attack on the mob since Pope John Paul criticized the Sicilian Mafia in 1993.

Pope Francis made the remarks after visiting a stronghold of the ‘Ndrangheta, one of Italy’s most dangerous crime groups. There he comforted the jailed father of a 3-year-old boy killed in a mob ambush and condemned mob violence against children.

Vatican insiders have also hinted that the Pope is set to excommunicate notorious Filipino Catholics, notably those who were recently indicted for plunder, graft and corruption and other charges in connection with the 10 Billion Peso pork barrel scam in the Philippines.  Among those indicted were Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Bong Revilla, Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada, along with alleged scam mastermind businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.  As of this writing, Napoles, Revilla and Estrada have been arrested and jailed.

Napoles and the three senators are known to be devout Catholics.

Prior to being arrested and jailed, Napoles used to have the statue of the ‘miraculous’ Black Nazarene transferred from Manila’s Quiapo Catholic Church to her private residence on many occasions.

bong
Revilla

Just moments before he surrendered, Revilla wore a t-shirt that said “The Lord is on my side; I willl not fear; what can man do unto me?” Before his indictment, he and his family went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Enrile was Justice Secretary and then Defense Minister under the regime of Ferdinand E. Marcos.  Aligning himself with the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, Enrile became on of the leaders of the 1986 People Power Revolution that drove Marcos into exile.

Estrada, on the other hand, resisted calls by a member of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) that he apologize for betraying the people’s trust.

It wasn’t clear whether the impending excommunication would be based on the  Second Commandment (‘Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord they God in vain’); the Sixth Commandment (‘Thou shalt not steal’)  or the Tenth Commandment (‘Thou shalt not covet they neighbor’s goods).

Perhaps, all three? And, maybe a fourth for Enrile, a known womanizer — the Ninth Commandment (‘Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife’).