Malacañang has commended Senator Jinggoy Estrada for voluntarily surrendering to authorities following the issuance of a warrant of arrest against him.

The Sandiganbayan 5th Division issued the warrant on Tuesday in connection with plunder and graft cases filed against Estrada and four co-accused. Despite a brief commotion, the senator held a short press conference before turning himself in to authorities.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro praised the senator's decision, saying it spared law enforcement officers unnecessary difficulty.

"Maganda ang ginawa ni Senator Jinggoy na siya ay boluntaryong sumuko, hindi na nahirapan ang law enforcement officers, hindi tulad ng nangyayari kay Senator Bato." 

[It was commendable that Senator Jinggoy voluntarily surrendered — law enforcement officers were not put through difficulty, unlike what happened with Senator Bato.]

Castro added that voluntarily surrendering is simply what a person should do when they know a valid warrant of arrest exists against them.

The Palace official also moved to dispel claims that the arrest was linked to Estrada's alleged refusal to join the Senate minority bloc, stressing that Malacañang has no involvement in the senator's legal situation.

"Is it the other way around? Dahil ngayon ang bumubuo sa majority, sila yung may isyu — may mga kaso na nakaabang. Di umano, sabi nga natin, wala pang binubuo na majority sa pamumuno ni Senator Cayetano ay mayroon na silang mga issues na kinakaharap. Hindi ba baligtad? Baka sila namumolitika at hindi ang ehekutibo." 

[Is it actually the other way around? Because those now forming the majority are the ones with issues — with cases pending against them. We said it before: even before a majority under Senator Cayetano's leadership was formed, they were already facing these issues. Isn't it reversed? Perhaps they are the ones playing politics, not the executive.]

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had earlier denied allegations that his administration was targeting the Senate majority bloc through the filing of cases against its members in connection with flood control anomalies. 

The President noted that the investigation into the flood control issue had been initiated before the change in Senate leadership on May 11.