Why Jinggoy's son has diplomatic passport

MANILA  - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has confirmed that Jose Luis "Jolo" Ejercito, son of Senator Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, has been issued a diplomatic passport.

DFA spokesman Charles Jose said according to DFA regulations, spouses and unmarried minor children are entitled to diplomatic passports of those principals who are entitled to diplomatic passports.

"So their spouses and unmarried minor children who will accompany them on official travel are entitled. Only official travel. So pursuant to that regulation, the son of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was issued a diplomatic passport because he was 18 years old at the time when he was given one and now he's already 21," he said.

Jose said Estrada's son can't use the diplomatic passport for unofficial or personal travel.

"Hindi travel on his own. It should be official travel and travel with the principal. Official mission dapat and kasama yung principal," he said.

"This is how the diplomatic passports and official passports work. Valid siya on a per travel basis. So it will not be valid for use kung hindi sya revalidated by the DFA. For it to be revalidated, the requesting office for example should submit a travel order approved by their principal. So kung hindi revalidated, hindi papayagan ng immigration na makalabas regardless kung valid sya sa year," he added.

The issue of Ejercito's diplomatic passport was the subject of a viral blog post that came out after the senator's surrender and subsequent detention at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center.

The blog said Jolo Ejercito can no longer be issued a diplomatic passport because he is no longer a minor.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Jinggoy says Tuason may have visited other senators

MANILA -- Senator Jinggoy Estrada manifested on Wednesday's session that he wants the Senate security's review of closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage to include the 5th floor of the Senate building from 2010 onwards.

Estrada said CCTV footage on this floor, where the senators hold their offices, might show Ruby Tuason also visiting other senators aside from him.

He refused to identify the politicians, but said some are "former senators."

"Hindi ko character ang mangdamay ng ibang senador," he said.

Senate President Franklin Drilon, meanwhile, assured that they will show to the public the results of the CCTV review including, if it shows, Ruby Tuason visiting other senators aside from Estrada.

"Wala kami itatago. Kung ano ang available ilalabas namin ang mga pagbisita ni Ruby Tuason," Drilon said.

When asked whether he was also visited by Tuason, Drilon was quick to answer: "She did not approach my office, hindi yan lumapit sa aking opisina."

Meanwhile, Drilon said he agrees that the altercation between Guingona and Estrada on the pork barrel scam hearings must go to the Ethics Committee.

But he noted that they are having difficulty assigning an impartial senator to handle the committee.

"Totoo yun, sinisikap namin na humanap ng isang senador na neutral pero ang hirap," he said.

Pork scam probe

Drilon said it will be up to Guingona whether to stop the hearings on the pork barrel scam and shift to the Malampaya Fund scam.

The Senate president said he prefers that the remaining three weeks of their sessions be devoted to the approval of other important measures such as the Freedom of Information Bill and Tax Exemption of 13th Month Pay and Bonuses.

Guingona, for his part, said they are still inclined to continue the pork barrel scam hearing but are evaluating whether it would still be practical.

He said they still have to confirm who among those mentioned in the last hearing will be able to attend.

"We're still verifying who are still in the country," he said.

Guingona added that they have yet to issue any subpoena or invitations since they are awaiting information from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on the whereabouts of the personalities mentioned.

He assured that they will continue the hearing on the Malampaya fund scam. But no date has been set yet for that hearing.

Meanwhile, Senator Antonio Trillanes said he is amenable if the pork barrel investigation shifts to the Malampaya fund scam.

Like Drilon, he said he was also not approached by Tuason especially since during the years Tuason was allegedly visiting Estrada in the Senate, he was still holding office in his detention cell in Camp Crame.

Trillanes, however, challenged Estrada to start naming names than merely treating the sensitive accusations as blind items.

"Gumawa siya ng resolution to make it a different subject altogether, and he will be the main resource person doon sa resolution na gagawin niya. And sa akin nga, to spare everybody this exercise, sabihin mo na doon. Mag-privilege speech ka," he said.

"Sana ganoon na lang. Ayoko na kasi yung ganoong parang blind item yung dating. Parang nag-threaten ka, parang nili-leverage mo against somebody, might as well come out in the open if you have something to say," he added.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

COA chief vows to get back 'misused' pork from Jinggoy

MANILA – Commission on Audit (COA) chairman Grace Pulido-Tan on Thursday vowed to get back pork barrel funds from Senator Jinggoy Estrada found to have been misused based on an audit report.

Pulido-Tan, who was called out by Estrada for presenting supposedly incomplete audit reports that seemed to focus on select lawmakers, said she will work on the "notice of disallowance" for Estrada.

Pulido-Tan explained that a notice of disallowance is COA's tool to get back public funds found to have been misused. The COA chief said notices of disallowance can be appealed all the way up to the Supreme Court.

"Siya ang aming unang padadalhan. Baka ma-disappoint na naman kasi siya, baka sabihin niya may pagkukulang na naman kami so I made a mental note sabi ko, 'kayo po ang unahin namin para hindi kami makalimot," Pulido-Tan told dzMM.

In his speech at the Senate yesterday, Estrada particularly noted that not a single notice of disallowance was issued under the special audit report for the pork barrel funds, officially known as Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), for the years 2007, 2008 and 2009.

"Mga kababayan, eto po ang kopya ng COA special audit report. More than 450 pages all in all. And nowhere, nowhere in all these pages can you find a single peso of disallowance or even a suspension! Ito po dapat ang nagpahagulgol kay chairman Pulido-Tan," Estrada said.

The special audit report revealed that Estrada and fellow minority senators Bong Revilla and Juan Ponce Enrile coursed their pork barrel funds to fake non-government organizations set up by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.

The report showed that several NGOs linked to Napoles received P1.23 billion from Estrada, Sen. Bong Revilla and Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile from 2007 to 2009.

Plunder, graft and malversation charges have since been filed against Estrada, Revilla, Enrile and 34 other people by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

In the complaint, the NBI said Estrada got P183,793,750 in kickbacks from businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles. The complaint said Revilla got P224,512,500 in kickbacks while Enrile got P174,834,500.

'Vindicated'

Tan said she was not hurt by Estrada's speech yesterday. She said COA was even vindicated after Estrada used the commision's data in citing the supposed misuse of funds of several lawmakers and government officials with close ties to the Aquino administration.

Among the names mentioned by Estrada are House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, former An Waray party-list Representative Florencio Noel, senators Miriam Defensor Santiago and Alan Peter Cayetano, and former senators Francis Pangilinan and Manny Villar.

"Ang mga binaggit na pangalan ni Senador Jinggoy kagabi, na mga administration legislators daw, hinango lang sa aming sariling report. Kaya ako ay natutuawa dahil binigyan niya ng importansya ang aming report," she said.

After the plunder charges were filed, Estrada said he felt that the minority senators are being singled out by the government.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, in today's Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, however said that the cases were filed since the contents of the COA report have already been corroborated by the testimonies and documentary pieces of evidence of the whistle-blowers, mostly former Napoles employees.

Pulido-Tan, meanwhile, clarified that the COA did not conduct a special audit report on PDAF for only the period of 2007 to 2009 just to spare other lawmakers. She said after the learning of the findings of the special audit report, she ordered state auditors to begin a more thorough look at PDAF in the regular audit being conducted annually starting 2010.

"Ang dami naming PDAF report per agency - 2011, 2012, 2013. Ang nakakagulat, we see practically the same names of those involved in 2007 to 2009," she said.

She also belied Estrada's claim that the COA violated the law by prematurely disclosing audit reports without hearing the side of the involved agency.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Estrada hits pork barrel probe

Senator Jinggoy Estrada in his privilege speech on Wednesday criticized the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, saying he and his two other colleagues in the Senate minority are being singled out in the alleged P10 billion pork barrel scam.

Estrada noted that 371 lawmakers were mentioned in the Commission on Audit (COA) report, but claimed that not all are being scrutinized.

He also appealed to the public not to judge him and urged his colleagues not to wash their hands off the scam.

“Mensahe ko ito sa mga tao: Sa bawat pagturo niyo ng mapanghusga at mapagkutyang mga daliri, apat na daliri ang nakaturo pabalik sa inyo,” he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Erap's grandson joins showbiz

MANILA, Philippines - The grandson of former President Joseph Estrada officially joined show business as he was launched as one of the 12 members of ABS-CBN's Star Magic Circle 2013 on Thursday.

Julian Estrada, 17, said he decided to join show business after enjoying his short acting stint in the 2007 film "Katas ng Saudi" with his father, Senator Jinggoy Estrada.

"Right now, I'm really happy and thankful," Julian said in an interview with ABS-CBNnews.com.

"It's my decision po kasi noong nagka-movie ako dati nagustuhan ko 'yung pag-acting," he added.

Julian hopes to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry and make his family proud.

The newbie actor said his father and grandfather advised him to keep his feet on the ground.

"Just be humble, huwag lumaki ang ulo and be yourself," said Julian, who admitted that he feels pressure following the successes of his relatives.

"Pero I'm gonna try to improve as an artist po," he added.

Julian said his parents will allow him to stay in showbiz if he maintains passing grades in school. He is a sophomore high school student at OB Montessori.

If given a chance, the grandson of former President Estrada would want to work with John Lloyd Cruz and Anne Curtis.

Aside from Julian, Star Magic's newest members include Alex Diaz, Ingrid dela Paz, Jerome Ponce, Jane Oineza, Jon Lucas, Janella Salvador, Julia Barretto, Khalil Ramos, Liza Soberano, Kit Thompson and Michelle Vito.

source: abs-cbnnews.com