The Interior and Local Government Department on Sunday said that former Senator Jinggoy Estrada violated lockdown guidelines in conducting an unauthorized relief drive in San Juan City as he did this without prior coordination with the city government.
According to DILG Secretary Eduardo Año, Estrada violated several rules of the enhanced community quarantine when he distributed free bangus (milkfish) in San Juan on Sunday. Estrada was brought to the police station for his actions but was later released.
"Naintindihan naman natin 'yung kagustuhan ni former senator Jinggoy na makatulong pero dapat ay ayon ito sa legal na pamamaraan at sa panuntunan ng ECQ guidelines," Año said in a press briefing.
(We understand that former Sen. Jinggoy just wants to help but it should be in a legal way and in adherence to the ECQ guidelines.)
Estrada, a former mayor of San Juan, had accused the police of singling him ut whey his staff was questioned for violating physical distancing measures during the relief operations.
He also accused San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora of trying to stop him from helping residents.
"Wala daw ako permit. Namimigay lang tayo ng bangus…Bakit ako hinihingan ng permit? Why single me out? It's plain harassment," he said.
(They said I didn't have a permit. I was just giving away free fish…Why should I ask for a permit? Why single me out? It's plain harassment.)
“Bakit porke ba Estrada, hindi puwedeng magbigay ng tulong sa San Juan?” Estrada asked.
The former senator added that “local politics” was behind his arrest for alleged violation of the lockdown.
Estrada said he was doing relief efforts in San Juan, as he served as its mayor for nine years and vice mayor for four years.
Tne former lawmaker also said policemen also asked him for a permit from the DILG in order to give donations.
Estrada said residents were mad at the police and some were even crying when he was whisked towards a waiting police car.
But Ano said that Estrada should have coursed his donations to the Office of Civil Defense if he feels uncomfortable seeking a permit from the city government.
"Dapat nagcoordinate siya sa LGU. Kung kaaway niya 'yung LGU, andiyan naman yung OCD," Año said.
(He should have coordinated with the LGU or the OCD.)
Ano said all relief drives are regulated by the government to ensure that it would not be abused, as he noted that there are some people who do illegal activities in the guise of relief operations.
"Ang LGU kasi ang dapat namumuno diyan para alam nila sino ang nakatanggap, di nakatanggap, saan papasok 'yung LGU, para naman tulungan 'yung mga di nakatanggap," he said.
(The LGU is the one that should lead relief operations so they can monitor who has received aid, and can provide for those that did not receive any help.)
Aside from lack of coordination, the DILG chief said people who were distributing fish also lacked quarantine passes, meaning they are not allowed to be in the streets.
Zamora, meanwhile, said Estrada has been violating quarantine measures for over a week, which had reached the national government's monitoring teams.
He, however, assured Estrada that he would grant the latter a permit for relief operations if the former senator wrote him.
"Yes, definitely. If the former senator writes me a request, I will immediately grant it," Zamora said.
The Zamoras and the Estradas are staunch rivals in San Juan’s political arena. Estrada’s daughter Janella lost to Zamora in the last elections.
The Estradas had lorded over San Juan politics for decades. The former senator’s father, ex-President Joseph Estrada was also a former mayor of San Juan.
Estrada’s half brother, former Sen. JV Ejercito also served as a long-time mayor of the city, while Ejercito’s mother, former actress Guia Gomez also served as mayor of San Juan.