Elizabeth Marcelo (philstar.com) - January 8, 2018 - 6:48pm

MANILA, Philippines — While he remains on trial for plunder and graft cases in connection with his alleged involvement in the multibillion-peso pork barrel fund scam, former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on Monday admitted that he is seriously considering the possibility of running in the 2019 elections.

In a chance interview with reporters on the sideline of his plunder case hearing before the Sandiganbayan, Estrada said nothing is final yet regarding his political plans for next year but added that he is already “going around the country.”

“I haven't decided yet, but I'm going around the country to thank the people for their unwavering support,” he said.

Estrada was quick to dispel speculations that he would run as mayor of San Juan City, saying that he is more inclined to seek a national post.

“No that's not true, panay rumors, panay tsismis (all rumors, all gossip),” Estrada said.

“As I said, I haven't decided yet. Pero syempre nandun pa rin yung inclination natin (But there remains my inclination) to serve our people on a national level,” he added.

The former senator further said he does not see his pending criminal cases as a hindrance for running in the 2019 elections.

Estrada recalled that he was also facing a plunder case before the Sandiganbayan when he first ran for the Senate in 2004.

“If you remember when I first ran in 2004, I still have a pending case together with my father. I have a plunder case and eventually I was acquitted,” Estrada said.

Estrada was referring to the plunder case of his father, former president and incumbent Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada in which he was named as a co-accused.

The case stemmed from the older Estrada's alleged receipt of millions of pesos worth of kickbacks from operation of illegal numbers game jueteng, misappropriation of P130-million worth of tobacco excise tax share of Ilocos Sur, receipt of P189.7-million commissions from the sale of real estate firm Belle Corporation and unexplained wealth amounting to P3.2 billion found in a dummy bank account under the name Jose Velarde.

In September 2007, the Sandiganbayan special division handed down a guilty verdict against the older Estrada but acquitted his son Jinggoy and the other co-accused in the case.

Then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pardoned the older Estrada the following month and restored his “full civil and political rights.”

Jinggoy's half-brother Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito had earlier stated that he would not seek re-election as a senator in 2019 should the former decide to run for the same post.

Jinggoy said he has not talked to JV yet regarding the latter's political plans.

Just last month, the Estrada patriarch likewise belied the rumor that his younger son JV would be running as mayor of San Juan to perpetuate their family's control in the city.

JV is the son of Mayor Estrada and incumbent San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez who is on her third and last term.

2019 MIDTERM ELECTIONS JINGGOY ESTRADA JV EJERCITO SENATE