Jinggoy Estrada's camp explains condition of office turned over to Tito Sotto

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada's camp has explained the condition of the office, which was seen stripped bare ahead of its turnover to Senate President Pro Tempore Tito Sotto.

In a statement on Oct. 6, Estrada's office said its Chief of Staff Atty. Racquel Mejia had informed Sotto's camp that the office's fixtures, furnishings, and materials would be moved to the former's new space. A Philippine STAR report said that Sotto's staff were surprised to see the office dismantled on Monday.

"Most of these items (e.g. floor tiles, glass panels, lighting fixtures, cabinets, etc.) were acquired using personal funds, as the budget provided by the Senate was insufficient to cover all the expenses incurred," the statement read.

Estrada's camp further explained that this wasn't something out of the ordinary.

"It bears noting that standard practice in the Senate is for the senator occupying an office to renovate the space based on the budget provided, with any expense beyond that shouldered entirely by the occupant," they said.

"It is also worth mentioning, in the spirit of full transparency, that the said vacated office, when it was turned over to Sen. Estrada in 2002, was likewise bare, following this same long-standing practice."

They added that office supplies and materials used in the previous space will be reused in the new one.

Moreover, the camp said it took exception to the statements, reports, and comments on the state of the room previously occupied by Estrada.

"It must also be emphasized that similar instances of dismantling fixtures and materials from a vacated senator's office have occurred in the recent past. This is neither new nor unusual—it is an established and accepted practice within the institution, and singling out this particular transition for scrutiny is both unfair and misleading."

According to Estrada's office, the senator has occupied space on the sixth floor and was allotted an extension on the fifth floor.

On Oct. 5, videos and photos of the vacated office made the rounds on social media. It was cleared of all furniture, with some tiles and light fixtures removed, and wires and wall sockets exposed.

Sotto was elected Senate President Pro Tempore on June 17 after Sen. Win Gatchalian replaced Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President. Before Sotto, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada occupied the position as the second-highest-ranking Senate official.

Estrada is currently detained at the New Quezon City Jail over a non-bailable plunder case in relation to his alleged involvement in the flood control scandal.

He has been unable to attend impeachment proceedings; however, he was elected as the chairperson of the Senate committee on electoral reforms.

Estrada was named by former DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez as among those who were allegedly involved in kickback schemes in Bulacan. Estrada has since denied the claims and filed perjury charges against Hernandez in December 2025. The DOJ dismissed the case due to a lack of evidence.