Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has confirmed that he already talked to Senator Jinggoy Estrada regarding options available to him following the expected issuance of a warrant of arrest by the Sandiganbayan.

This development comes after the Office of the Ombudsman filed plunder and graft charges against Estrada in connection with allegedly illegal budget insertions and project allocations in the Department of Public Works and Highways.

According to Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano, over P573 million in public funds were reportedly funneled into certain infrastructure projects in exchange for predetermined commissions or kickbacks.

Estrada’s legal team is preparing to challenge the charges, citing procedural irregularities and evidence such as a letter from the Senate Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office indicating he did not make insertions in the 2025 national budget.Remulla emphasized that the options he provided to Estrada will remain confidential until Estrada makes a decision.Estrada has pledged to exhaust all legal remedies to defend himself against the allegations, marking his third plunder case in 25 years.The case highlights ongoing concerns over corruption and transparency in public infrastructure projects in the Philippines.