Jinggoy Estrada arrested for violating ECQ guidelines

(UPDATED) Former senator Jose Ejercito Jr. “Jinggoy Estrada” was arrested Sunday afternoon, May 3, for allegedly violating quarantine protocols while distributing relief goods in San Juan City.

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora confirmed the arrest. He said the former senator was not authorized to go around the city and conduct relief operations.

“Kanina nakatanggap kami ng tawag na ang NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) ay gumalaw sa lungsod ng San Juan sapagkat itong si dating senador Jinggoy Estrada ay may ilang araw na nag-iikot dito sa Lungsod ng San Juan ng walang authority...Dahil tayo ay nasa enhanced community quarantine kinakailangan yan under DILG regulation and under IATF directives and PNP laws kinakailangan ikaw ay may authority or permit outside residence,” Zamora said.

“Unang una wala sya nyan (permit) so wala syang dahilan para magikot-ikot sa iba ibang barangay. Pangalawa kung gusto nyang tumulong sa ating mga mamamayan, ayon sa ating DILG any organization any person who would like to conduct any relief operation ay kinakailangan kumuha po ng certification from the local government unit para siguraduhin na meron social distancing para siguraduhin na hindi nagkakagulo. Yaan po ay mga bagay na palagay ko ay nilabag nya at yan po ang dahilan siguro kung bakit siya inaresto ng PNP,” he added.

Estrada, in another television interview, admitted that he did not have a permit to conduct relief operations.

But he also blamed politics for his arrest. Zamora is a political rival who defeated the former senator’s daughter Janella during the 2016 elections, thus, ending the Estrada family’s 50-year rule in San Juan.

“Local politics, that's about it you know because the mayor here in San Juan has always been very consistent in instructing all the barangay captains not to entertain me, not to give me any support if I go to their barangays. So that's very clear, he is politicking at this early stage,” Estrada said in a television interview.

Estrada said he has been distributing relief goods for two weeks before he was arrested Sunday afternoon.

Zamora clarified that he has nothing to do with Estrada’s arrest.

He said the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the Philippine National Police have been regularly monitoring the enforcement of quarantine guidelines.

“Kasi ‘yung ginagawa niyang pagikot sa ibat-ibang barangay, kitang kita naman ng lahat yan, kahit saan ka magtanong sa San Juan alam nila na nag-iikot parating maraming tao walang social distancing...Siguro namonitor na sila ng IATF at ng DILG kaya hinuli na sila ngayon,” he said.

The DILG earlier instructed individuals and groups planning to conduct relief operations to coordinate with and secure a permit from the local government to ensure peace and order during the distribution.

“Alam mo unfortunately maraming mg NGOs, civic organizations, private individuals, civilians like me who are distributing relief goods almost everyday without any permit. Why are they singling me out? I think that is unfair,” said Estrada.

“I have been a mayor here for nine years before so alam ko. Gusto ko lang tumulong sa ating mga kababayan. Bakit naman ako pipigilan nitong kasalukuyang admistrasyon dito sa San Juan? Bakit naman ako pipigilan tumulong dito sa aking mga kababayan?” he added.

Zamora said he would have granted Estrada a permit had he requested for it.

He said he issued a permit to Estrada’s daughter, Janella, on April 29 for the distribution of free medicine to the residents of San Juan.

Last month, however, Zamora ordered the closure of a rolling store established by Janella due to lack of permit.

Estrada’s father, former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, went to the police station after the former senator’s arrest.

He said his son was distributing milkfish to the poor residents when he was approached and arrested by policemen.

The police has yet to provide report on Estrada’s arrest. (SunStar Philippines)