By Jhon Aldrin Casinas Staffers of San Juan City Councilor Jana Ejercito were brought to the police station on Thursday afternoon (May 14) for questioning over the issue of permits for relief operations amid the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). Councilor Jana Ejercito This came after former senator Jinggoy Estrada, Jana's cousin, was taken to the San Juan City Police Station on May 3 for questioning over his alleged violation of quarantine protocols when distributing milkfish to residents of Barangay Salapan, San Juan. San Juan City Police chief Col. Jaime Santos said only Ejercito's staff were invited to the station at around 5 p.m. for questioning. “Only the staff of Councilor Jana were invited here. Because they are her staff, Jana also went to the station,” Santos told the Manila Bulletin in a phone interview. Santos said policemen invited the councilor's staff to confirm if they were distributing milkfish at Barangay West Crame, considered one of the “hotspots” of COVID-19 in the city, and if they have a permit for the distribution. He also said they found out Ejercito's staff did not have a permit to conduct the distribution. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) had issued a directive requiring those intending to conduct relief operations to secure a certification from the local government where the activity will be held. In a phone interview, Ejercito said her staff are authorized to be outside and conduct relief operations even without a permit from the local government, because they were with an elected official during the distribution. She also noted that her staff have IDs indicating that they are under her office. The city councilor said the distribution of goods was conducted on a house-to-house basis to avoid violating physical distancing. She narrated that the distribution was halted when the residents began to flock the distribution. She said she told her staff to leave and only return once the residents settled down. However, Ejercito said her staff were met by police officers on their way out and told to accompany them to the station for questioning. “Authorized naman sila kasi may ID sila from our office,” Ejercito told the Manila Bulletin. (They are authorized because they have IDs from our office.) “Sa elected officials, pwede kami na kahit walang permit (For elected officials, we are allowed to conduct relief operations even without a permit). We are mandated to help our people and magbigay ng relief sa constituents namin (and give out relief goods to our constituents) together with our staff,” she explained. Santos said Ejercito’s staff were only issued a citation ticket for violating the “stay at home” ordinance of the city government. “They were not arrested.” Ejercito is the only member of the Ejercito-Estrada clan who was elected into office during the midterm election last year in San Juan, which was once led by various members of the family for decades. “I’m sad about it kasi unang-una (because first of all) we have a pandemic. Syempre sa pandemic, unahin natin ‘yung welfare ng mga tao (In a pandemic, of course we should prioritize the welfare of the people),” she said. “So ‘yung situation now yun ‘yung ina-address namin at hindi muna yung pamumulitika tutal malayo pa yung election." (So the situation now is what we are addressing and not politicking because the election is still far off.) Asked if elected officials still have to secure a permit from the local government, San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said Ejercito's group “did not secure a permit from the LGU (local government unit).” “The purpose of this directive is so that the LGU will be aware of any relief operations so proper health protocols will be observed,” Zamora said. “They did not secure a certification or permit and did not coordinate with my office for this. Two councilors have so far requested for certifications and have so far been given as well. It's not hard to do.” “At any rate, unfortunately, this is all about politics,” Estrada said, whose family are the political rivals of Zamora. In response, Zamora said Estrada's arrest over the milkfish distribution was made because he violated guidelines and directives set by the government following the imposition of the quarantine. “The arrest of Mr. Jinggoy Estrada has nothing to do with politics in San Juan but has everything to do with law and order, especially so now that we are collectively fighting this global pandemic,” the mayor said in a statement. Zamora defeated Estrada’s daughter Janella in the May 2019 mayoral race.