Jinggoy dares Hernandez: Prove flood control claims in court

Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada on Tuesday categorically denied corruption allegations made against him by Bulacan’s former Department of Public Work and Highways Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez in connection with supposed kickbacks from flood control projects listed under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

“Una sa lahat, wala akong tinanggap na anumang halaga mula sa mga flood control projects (First of all, I did not receive any amount from the flood control projects),” Estrada declared in his manifestation during the Senate plenary session. 

He denounced Hernandez’s accusations as "utterly false and baseless.”

During a today’s hearing in the House of Representatives, the engineer alleged that Estrada had a “30 percent commitment” in certain infrastructure projects, in which the senator dismissed as purely fictional.

“Gaya ng mga guni-guni nilang flood control projects, guni-guni rin ang sinasabi niya na 30 percent commitment ko raw (Just like their imaginary flood control projects, what he's saying about my supposed 30 percent commitment is also imaginary.),” he added. 

Estrada emphasized that the projects mentioned are legitimate items included in the national budget, and that his name has no connection to any irregularities involving them.

“Para sa mga ordinaryo nating mga kababayan, ang mga binanggit niyang mga proyekto ay nasa line items ng 2025 General Appropriations Act (For our ordinary fellow citizens, the projects he mentioned are listed as line items in the 2025 General Appropriations Act),” he said. 

“Isang malaking kasinungalingan ang mga pinagsasabi niya para iugnay ang aking pangalan sa mga proyektong binanggit niya na nasa ilalim ng 2025 GAA sa isinagawang pagdinig sa mababang kapulungan (What he is saying is a blatant lie meant to associate my name with the projects he mentioned that are under the 2025 GAA during the hearing in the lower house),” he added. 

Calling Hernandez's claims “malicious” and “blatant lies,” Estrada accused the engineer of attempting to mislead the public and tarnish his reputation as a legislator.

“Clearly intended to mislead the public, besmirch my name, and discredit my continued participation in the Senate hearing,” he said. 

The senator went further by demanding that Hernandez back up his allegations not just with words, but with hard evidence, in court.

“I am not merely challenging Mr. Hernandez to take a lie detector test with me — I am demanding that he prove every single allegation he has made in a court of law,” Estrada said. 

“If he dares to stand by his claims, then he must back them up with solid, irrefutable evidence. No hearsay, no fabricated narratives — just facts. Let the truth come out, once and for all,” he added. 

Estrada said he would take all necessary steps to hold Hernandez accountable for what he labeled as perjury and defamation.

“I will not allow this brazen attempt to smear my name to go unanswered. This will not pass quietly. Beyond the administrative and criminal liabilities he may face, I will ensure that Mr. Hernandez is held accountable for perjury and made to answer for his deliberate falsehoods before the proper judicial forum,” he said. 

“Let this serve as a warning: lies have consequences, and I will pursue every legal remedy to make sure justice is served,” he continued.