Senator Jinggoy Estrada voluntarily surrendered to the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) on Monday afternoon, hours after the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division issued a warrant of arrest against him in connection with a plunder case.

Estrada appeared before members of the media after receiving the warrant and being fetched by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla. 

He was accompanied by fellow senators Imee Marcos, Rodante Marcoleta, and siblings Mark and Camille Villar. Senator Camille Villar was seen in tears during the press conference.

In his statement, Estrada made clear he would not seek protective custody from the Senate and would instead face the charges in court.

"Nais kong bigyan diin ang mga bagay na ito: I will remain firmly with the majority bloc under the leadership of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. Hindi ako matitinag sa anumang panggigipit, pananakot, political maneuvering para talikuran ang paninindigan kong ito. I will not yield to threats. I will not be intimidated. I will not be pressured into surrendering my independence of judgment."

(I want to emphasize these things: I will remain firmly with the majority bloc under the leadership of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. I will not be swayed by any pressure, intimidation, or political maneuvering to abandon this position. I will not yield to threats. I will not be intimidated. I will not be pressured into surrendering my independence of judgment.)

Estrada was equally firm in rejecting what he described as Senate custody, stating he would not use the institution as a shield against the allegations.

"At higit sa lahat, hindi ako papasailalim sa kustodiya ng Senado. I will not seek Senate custody. Hindi ko gagamitin ang Senado bilang panangga laban sa mga alegasyon sa akin. Nakahanda akong ipagtanggol ang aking sarili sa hukuman at hindi ako magtatago sa likod ng institusyong ito upang umiwas sa proseso. Ipagtatanggol ko hanggang sa huli ang aking sarili para patunayan na walang batayan ang mga paratang sa akin."

(And above all, I will not submit to the custody of the Senate. I will not seek Senate custody. I will not use the Senate as a shield against the allegations against me. I am prepared to defend myself in court and I will not hide behind this institution to avoid the process. I will defend myself to the end to prove that the charges against me have no basis.)

As a personal gesture of sincerity toward the Filipino people, Estrada also instructed the Senate Secretary to hold the release of his salary while he works to clear his name.

In a surprising revelation, Estrada disclosed that he had been offered multiple times to leave the independent majority bloc, led by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, in exchange for the dismissal of his cases. 

He said he firmly declined every offer.

"Ngayon ko lang ito isasapubliko ito: Maraming beses akong inalok na talikuran ang independent majority bloc kapalit ang pagbabasura sa aking kaso, ngunit hindi ko ito tinanggap. Mas nanaig ang paninindigan ako na manatili sa hanay ng mga kasamahan ko sa independent majority bloc. Kung sino sila, abangan n'yo na lang ang susunod na kabanata."

(I am only making this public now: I have been offered many times to abandon the independent majority bloc in exchange for the dismissal of my case, but I did not accept it. My resolve to remain with my colleagues in the independent majority bloc prevailed. As for who they are — just wait for the next chapter.)

Estrada also called the plunder case against him "nonsense," citing the Senate Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office (LBRMO) as having confirmed there was no record of any budget insertion under his name in the 2025 National Budget, a fact he said was also acknowledged by former Senator Panfilo Lacson.

He closed his statement by framing his stand as a defense not just of himself, but of the Senate's independence as an institution.

"I stand my ground because what is at stake here goes far beyond my personal circumstances. What is at stake is the independence of the Senate itself. This institution must never become vulnerable to external pressure. It must remain free from political coercion, free from undue influence, and free from any scheme designed to weaken its constitutional role as a co-equal and independent branch of government. If this is the price I must pay for the decisions I have made and the principles I have chosen to uphold, then I am prepared to face the consequences — however difficult they may be, especially for my family."

Senator Imee Marcos declined to give a statement during the press conference.