By PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA — Sen. Jinggoy Estrada doubts his half-brother Sen. JV Ejercito’s intention for trying to reach out to him.
“Be sincere,” Estrada said in reaction to what Ejercito earlier said that the former could “just call my name.”
Estrada had been implicated in the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam.
He and fellow senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. were facing plunder charges before the Office of the Ombudsman.
If Ejercito, former San Juan City mayor, is insincere, he should “just walk away,” Estrada stressed.
On Thursday, Ejercito said he feels sad for his brother’s present predicament.
The neophyte lawmaker urged Estrada to “pray” and “remain strong” for his family.
“My prayers are with them,” said Ejercito. “When everything is going against you and there is [no one else] to lean on except the Lord, just pray and be strong.”
He refused to say, however, whether or not he believes Estrada is guilty of the charges.
All he said was that the accused should be given the chance to defend themselves.
Ejercito was among the senators who signed the Blue Ribbon Committee report on the pork barrel scam.
With his half-brother being implicated in the scam, he had reservations when he signed the report, but he said public accountability played a role in his decision.
“I would always remember that I am a newly elected senator. And I will always have to remember that I was put in the position by the electorate who trusted me,” he said.
Meanwhile, he dismissed talks that he is being considered as possible vice presidential bet of the United Nationalist Alliance.
For him, being a senator is already a privilege. “I am not an ambitious person,” said Ejercito./PN
