Senator Jinggoy Estrada responds to ‘arrest’ news

Senator Jinggoy Estrada (Photo by Bob Dungo Jr.)

Senator Jinggoy Estrada has clarified reports about his so-called “arrest” in the US.

Speaking live via phone patch on “Unang Hirit,” Tuesday, the solon reacted to the satirical piece which circulated on social media recently saying he has been arrested in San Francisco after he “tried to get past customs while in possession of huge amounts of money.”

“Oo nga (I’ve heard about it). Tinawagan nga ako ng alas singko ng madaling araw dito sa kahimbingan ng aking pagtulog ng aking isang staff at ibinalita nga niya sa akin na mayroong kumakalat sa social network na ako’y naaresto dito sa San Francisco. Nagdala raw ako ng malaking halaga ng pera,” Estrada told host Arnold Clavio.

The article, “Jinggoy Estrada Arrested After Trying to Smuggle Money Inside His Breasts to US,” was published on Nov. 4 by So, What’s News? (SWN?): News that won’t make you depressed to read the news. As described on its website, SWN? “is a SATIRICAL & FICTIONAL news website. Our aim is to inject humor into everyday news to provide respite to readers who have grown weary with mainstream news organization’s partisan, biased and depressing way of presenting the news.”

Knowing that a lot of Filipinos fell for the fake “arrest,” Estrada continued by stating the facts “Hindi po totoo ’yun. Kung talagang totoo po ’yun, dapat noong isang araw pa ay nabalita na ’yon dahil two days na po ako narito eh. Matagal na po akong umalis diyan. Nakadalawang araw na po ako dito, wala naman hong nangyayari sa akin.” Estrada left for the US on Sunday, Nov. 3.

Asked for his reaction to what some say could be a plot against him as he is facing plunder charges in the Office of the Ombudsman relating to the P10-billion pork barrel controversy, Estrada answered, “Hindi ko alam… Ako, ’di ko na pinapansin ’yan. Binabalewala ko na lang ’yung mga pinopost sa social network. Sanay na tayo diyan. Unang-una, hindi ako nagbabasa. Hindi ako nagbabasa ng mga Facebook accounts. Unang-una, wala akong Facebook account.”

Estrada also explained why he left the country without his wife Precy Ejercito, who will reportedly get a second opinion from US doctors about a lump on her breast.

“Naka schedule na ako sa November… ngayon, kanina. Galing na ako sa ospital. Nakita ko ’yung medical records ng aking asawa. At susunod din ang aking asawa. Mayroon siyang appointment dito ng Nov. 8, sa ospital dito sa San Francisco,” he said.

In the same “Unang Hirit” interview, Estrada said that he will definitely return to the Philippines before the Congress resumes its sessions on Nov. 18.

He also assured that everything is fine with his US stay. “Kumain pa nga ako sa Filipino restaurant dito. Okay naman ang pagtanggap sa akin ng mga kababayan natin dito.”

Senator Jinggoy Estrada responds to ‘arrest’ news

Source: Mb.com.ph (November 05, 2013 at 03:46PM)

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