JINGGOY’S ‘JAW-DROPPING’ US TRIP

Jinggoy to speak before US group for good gov’t” (3/27/18) nearly got us falling off our seat! The report said former senator Jinggoy Estrada has been invited as guest speaker of US Pinoys for Good Governance on May 20 at its annual general membership meeting in Michigan.

Jinggoy, the son of former president Joseph “Erap” Estrada, is out on bail. He was indicted for plunder and graft for allegedly pocketing P183 million from his pork barrel funds when he was senator. The father was also previously charged with and convicted of plunder.

What’s up with those Filipinos in America? Are they having too much of a good thing in that “land of milk and honey”? Have they gone totally bonkers?

Jinggoy’s lawyers advanced as other reasons for his one-month tour of the United States the need for him to undergo medical treatment for a “recurring orthopedic shoulder problem” and to fulfill his promise of a family trip.

They should have stuck to those other reasons. No jaws would have dropped to the bottomless pit! But calling attention to that weird invitation for him to preach and pontificate about “good government” was really rubbing it in, and it is a wonder the Sandiganbayan justices did not feel insulted at all!

Signs of things to come? Will Jinggoy be declared not guilty soon and all that money he is accused of stealing never see the light of day again, as in many other cases of plunder already dismissed for “insufficient evidence”?

ULYSSES B. UY, uberutoo@gmail.com