Photo courtesy of Senate of the Philippines
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Estrada willing to open his bank accounts

Gabriela Baron

Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Monday said he is ready to sign a waiver to open his bank accounts.

“I’m open to any investigation. In fact, Mr. President, even though Senator (Panfilo) Lacson’s Blue Ribbon Committee has not yet started, I’m willing to sign any waiver to open my bank accounts,” Estrada said during the Senate’s plenary session.

Estrada made the statement after sacked Department of Public Works and Highways engineer Brice Hernandez tagged him as among those involved in corruption related to flood control projects in the country.

In a House inquiry last week, Hernandez claimed that Estrada received a 30-percent kickback from P355 million worth of allocation from flood control projects.

“How can I demand 30 percent? What is his basis?” Estrada lamented.

Hernandez showed photos of Estrada with former Bulacan First Engineering District head Henry Alcantara, and screenshots of a message exchange involving an alleged member of Estrada’s staff identified as Beng Ramos.

Estrada denied that he had a staff member named Beng Ramos since entering the Senate in 2004. He added that Ramos was a staff member of the Blue Ribbon Committee and a former girlfriend of one of his Senate staff.