Jinggoy says won't subject self to House probe on 'pork' scam

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on Thursday said that he will not allow the House of Representatives to subject him in a congressional inquiry in connection with the pork barrel scam.

Estrada said that he will not subject himself under the jurisdiction of the other chamber of Congress, “just in case they are going to investigate us.”

“I will subject myself to my peers in the Senate,” he assured.

Estrada, meanwhile, urged the Senate leadership to come up with a stand on the pork barrel issue after the filing of formal charges against senators who are being linked to the controversy.

“…after the investigation and if  formal charges are be filed, I think, the Senate as a whole will have to meet,” he said.

The senator said that the Senate remains unaffected by the pork barrel scam "because we're not [investigating] it as of the moment."

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Wednesday assured that they will file charges against lawmakers involved in the multi-billion pork barrel scam.

Senate President Franklin Drilon said that the Senate will not extend any help to the senators who will be charged over the scam.

Drion said that the filing of charges against senators "is a matter that does not involved the Senate."

The scam involves at least P10-billion in pork barrel funds, which purportedly passed through bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) under the company of businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles who is now the subject of a warrant of arrest for illegal detention charges issued by the Makati City Regional Trial Court.

Estrada is among the senators being linked to Napoles.