Estrada gives ‘unsolicited advice’ to former Sen. De Lima’s staff: Visit her frequently, send my regards to her

Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Wednesday gave "unsolicited advice" to lawyer Catherine Sy, who previously worked as Deputy Chief-of-Staff of former Senator Leila de Lima.

"Just an unsolicited advice, Atty. Sy., dalawin mo lagi si Senator Leila. Alam mo na, baka malungkot siya," Estrada said during the Commission on Appointments' deliberation on Sy's appointment.

(Just an unsolicited advice, Atty. Sy. Visit Senator Leila more frequently. You know, she may be sad.)

"Take it from us dahil na experience namin yan. Just visit her frequently and send my regards to her," he added.

(Take it from us because we experienced it. Just visit her frequently and send my regards to her.)

Sy, who is currently the director of the Department of Migrant Workers' Institute for Advanced and Strategic Studies on Migration and Development, previously worked as a staff of De Lima.

The powerful CA heard her ad interim appointment as Foreign Service Officer Class IV in the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Prior to this, Estrada threw questions to Sy, ranging from her age, why she is still single, and how frequent her visit is to De Lima.

For her part, Sy explained that she visited her former boss when they had meetings, but it was "lessened during the pandemic."

He also asked Sy if he was still detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame with Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. when De Lima was implicated in drug charges.

"If I remember correctly, opo. Tinuturo po nila kung nasan yung inyo [kwarto]," she answered.

(If I remember correctly, yes. They were pointing to your rooms.)

Sy's answer prompted Estrada to ask a follow-up question.

"Tinuturo ni Senator Leila?" he asked.

(Who's pointing our room, Senator Leila?)

Sy rejected Estrada's assumption and explained that it was the guards at the PNP Custodial Center were the ones pointing their rooms acting as tour guides.

Estrada asked for a follow-up question. "Sana binisita niyo rin kami." (You should have visited us too.)

Sy said: Mahigpit sir diba? Mahigpit po. (The visiting rules are strict.)

Estrada replied: "Baka sa kanila. You were only 32 years old then?"

The lawyer corrected him: "Hindi po. 34."

Estrada made some more remarks: "Sa gandang mong yan, papapasukin ka namin." (With your beauty, we would have surely let you in.)

For context, Estrada is still facing multimillion-peso plunder and graft charges in connection with the controversial pork barrel scam filed during De Lima's stint as Justice secretary under the Aquino administration.

De Lima, a staunch critic of Duterte's war on drugs, has been in prison since 2017 for allegedly pocketing payoffs from drug lords when she was still the justice secretary to raise money for her senatorial campaign in 2016. Two of the three illegal drug cases filed against her were already dismissed.