(POLITIKO) Senator Jinggoy Estrada has brushed off the allegations of Manila Times columnist Rigoberto Tiglao that the Senate is subservient to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Estrada was reacting to Tiglao’s May 3 column where the latter accused the Senate of being “under Marcos Jr’s thumb” because the senators “boycotted” Senator Ronald Dela Rosa’s public order committee hearing into Marcos’ alleged drug use according to a leaked Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) report.
“The late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr. would have been so proud of his son. Without imposing martial law, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appears to have the Senate as well as mainstream media under his thumb. The two are the pillars of our democracy: We are entering dangerous times,” Tiglao said.
“Wala yang si Tiglao na yan. Mouthpiece ng China yan,” Estrada said of Tiglao during a DWIZ interview on Saturday (May 5).
“He is spreading fake news. Hindi ko alam saan galing ang kanyang information,” he added.
Estrada denied that the Senate was acting on Malacañang’s orders not to attend Dela Rosa’s hearing, which was criticized for being an investigation in aid of persecution because of its move to look into Marcos’ alleged drug use. The President has denied being into drugs.
“Hindi totoo yan. We are functioning as an independent institution. Nagpapasa kami ng batas for our people. Walang iniutos sa amin ang Malacañang. We are not a rubber stamp Senate,” Estrada said.
“Hindi namin pinapakinggan yan,” he added, referring to Tiglao.
Tiglao had already gotten in the crosshairs of Estrada after the former accused the senator’s father, former President Joseph Estrada, of agreeing to China’s demand to tow away the country’s military outpost in Ayungin, the BRP Sierra Madre.
The senator and Estrada’s former Defense Secretary Orly Mercado have denied this. Senator Estrada in a privilege speech called Tiglao “stupid” and “gago” for his claims and for his supposed silence on China’s incursions on Philippine waters.