Senator Jinggoy Estrada considers the statements of a former Palace official linking his father, former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, to the alleged agreement involving the removal of BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal as disappointing and completely unacceptable.
In an interview on Tuesday, Harry Roque, former spokesperson for former President Rodrigo Duterte, mentioned that the agreement to remove the grounded Navy warship at Ayungin Shoal was linked to President Estrada.
Estrada refuted this statement, citing even the former defense chief during his father’s administration, Orlando Mercado, denied that the former president was involved in such an agreement.
Former President Estrada himself ordered the grounding of BRP Sierra Madre in 1999.
Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also denied China’s statement, but Estrada mentioned that there was “relative peace” in the West Philippine Sea during Arroyo’s time, which, he said, did not take any action on the issue.
However, the senator praised the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for its concrete actions in the West Philippine Sea.