Jinggoy Estrada Relased After Quarantine Violations

Former senator Jinggoy Estrada was sent home by the San Juan City Police after being brought to the police station for allegedly violating quarantine protocols during his relief operations in the city.

Estrada was detained by the San Juan Police, Sunday afternoon May 3, while his camp was handing out milkfish (bangus) to the residents of Barangay Salapan. 

He was accused of carrying out his relief operation without authorization from the local govenment and for not practicing social distancing.

After his release, Estrada told reporters that he did not breach the quarantine guidelines and he wore personal protective gear during the time he was exposed to the community.

"I was pretty confident na iyong mga tao ko, inutusan nila iyong mga tao to observe social distancing," he said.

He made it clear that he believed he was summoned, not for the violations, but for political reasons.

"This is local politics. The current administration of San Juan does not want us to help.

"Why are they singling me out? Just because I’m an Estrada? Bawal na ba kami tumulong dito sa San Juan?" Estrada said.

The former senator added that other groups were also running relief operations in the city without, he claimed, a permit from city hall.

Estrada held the mayoral position in San Juan City for three consecutive terms, from 1992 to 2001.

His daughter Janella Estrada was elected vice mayor in 2016.

Janella ran for mayor during the 2019 elections, but lost  to Francis Zamora, the current mayor.

Janella's defeat also ended the 50-year rule of the Estradas in San Juan, the city from where Jinggoy's father, Joseph "Erap" Estrada, launched a political career that brought him all the way to Malacañang. 

Deposed just two years into his term as president of the republic, charged with plunder,  and imprisoned, he eventually made a comeback as Manila mayor, until he lost the last election to his vice mayor, Isko Moreno.

ZAMORA QUASHES ESTRADA'S ALLEGATIONS

In his interview on DZBB, Mayor Zamora strongly denied Estrada's accusations.

"Inisyatibo ito ng Philippine National Police sapagkat tayo ay naka-enhanced community quarantine bilang nasa ilalim ng enhanced community quarantine," he stated.

The mayor also proved his point by citing Janella's request which was approved by his office.

"Ang kanyang anak, nagsulat naman sa akin noong April 29, nag-request siya na gusto niya magsagawa ng libreng botika, mamimigay siya ng libreng gamot.

"Alam niyo, sa loob ng isang araw, binigyan ko agad siya ng certificate.

"So, hindi mahirap na mag-apply ng certification… Kung pulitika 'yan, bakit yung kaniyang anak binigyan natin ng permit?"