Like Bong, Jinggoy refuses to enter plea

Unidentified government source leaked Sen. Jose ‘Jinggoy’ Estrada’s mugshots.

MANILA — Just like Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., his co-accused in the alleged pork barrel scam, Senator Jinggoy Estrada also refused to enter any plea to the plunder charges filed against him on Monday.

In his stead, the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division entered the “not guilty” plea for Estrada during his arraignment.

Estrada was charged with 11 counts of graft charges for allegedly receiving millions of ‘pork’ kickbacks from the alleged pork barrel scam mastermind, Janet Lim-Napoles.

Last week, Estrada’s co-accused and co-senator, Revilla, also refused to enter during the arraignment of his plunder and 16 counts of graft cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Prosecution’s amendment to Estrada’s charge sheet was earlier withdrawn because of the possibility of the senator’s release.

Though the prosecution insisted that most of the changes were only formal and not substantial, the planned amendment was still withdrawn.

During his arraignment, Estrada was with his parents, former senator Loi Ejercito-Estrada and former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada.

His wife  Precy and brother Jude, were also present.