Senator Jinggoy Estrada has expressed readiness to sign a waiver allowing authorities to examine his bank accounts, following allegations that he received hefty kickbacks from government-funded flood control projects.
The move comes after former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) assistant engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez named Estrada during a House hearing, claiming the senator received a 30% commission from around ₱355 million worth of flood mitigation contracts in Malolos and Hagonoy, Bulacan in 2023.
Estrada strongly denied the accusations, branding them as “big lies” and challenging Hernandez to take a lie detector test. Now, in a bid to underscore his claim of innocence, the senator said he is open to full transparency. “I am willing to sign a waiver,” he said, signaling his willingness to lift bank secrecy protection to prove he has nothing to hide.
While his name surfaced alongside others in the widening flood control controversy — a scandal that has placed numerous lawmakers and contractors under scrutiny for allegedly rigging DPWH projects — Estrada has pushed back firmly, saying he had no involvement in project implementation or financial transactions.
The allegations were aired during the ongoing Blue Ribbon and House infrastructure committee investigations into supposed ghost projects and rigged biddings. Estrada, who is also among the senators questioning contractors, has turned the spotlight on the wealth of controversial businesswoman Sarah Discaya during Senate hearings.
Calls for public officials to voluntarily waive bank secrecy rights have intensified in recent weeks, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Senator Chiz Escudero backing legislative proposals that would mandate such disclosures for those holding public office.
