“Never use your own money. Steal a good idea and say it's your own. Do anything to get publicity. Remember that everybody can be bought.”
—Jimmy Breslin
By Alex P. Vidal
IT is now becoming obvious Senator Loren “Leron-Leron Sinta” Legarda aims to ride on the publicity generated by the late Jeffrey Epstein’s popularity even if the case has nothing to do whatsoever with the interest of the Filipinos.
Epstein’s case, particularly the “Jeffrey Epstein or Epstein files” is currently one of the hottest topics in the United States and is giving the Trump administration plenty of trouble.
During the Senate’s session February 10, Leron-Leron Sinta signified her intent to file a resolution “seeking to look into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s footprint in the Philippines.” Whoa.
When the issue wasn’t yet full-blown in the U.S., Leron-Leron Sinta never thought of even mentioning it in any platform in the Philippines.
Now, she is planning “to ask the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation, or the Senate Committee on Women to look into the reports.” Yudi ha.
Epstein has been dead a long time ago. His accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell is now serving a jail term in the U.S. The issue about Epstein files is a sex trafficking problem the Americans are trying to resolve.
What “footprint in the Philippines” is Leron-Leron Sinta talking about? Why can’t we tackle our own domestic problem on sex trafficking, madame?
Joseph Pulitzer once said, “Publicity, publicity, publicity is the greatest moral factor and force in our public life.”
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The controversy surrounding the issue stems from the massive, multi-year release of over three million documents, videos, and images (as of February 2026) detailing the sexual abuse and trafficking of minors by the late financier, and the subsequent exposure of Epstein’s connections to powerful global elites, politicians, and celebrities.
Leron-Leron Sinta emphasized the need “to examine the organizations, syndicates, and public relations companies that allegedly worked to help cleanse Epstein’s physical and digital image.”
Loren-Loren Sinta was quoted in the Philippines press saying, “This is very recent. It’s right here at our doorstep. I don’t know whether it was him personally or his associates, but this convicted pedophile—who was supposedly a financial wizard at the time and who died or was killed—had a network in the Philippines.”
She added: “I will file the resolution to look into Epstein’s footprint in the Philippines, the organizations and syndicates that worked with him, as well as the PR companies that helped cleanse his physical and digital image in the Philippines, based on the reports I have read.”
Three more million files have yet to be released, and the delays have sparked word war and heated debates among lawmakers pushing for files’ full release and the Department of Justice (DOJ) which the lawmakers accused of redacting the files and delaying its release.
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The files demonstrate that despite a 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, Epstein maintained, and in some cases renewed, relationships with influential figures, including President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton, and Prince Andrew. This has fueled accusations that a "system" protected him for years.
The release, mandated by the "Epstein Files Transparency Act" signed in late 2025, has led to severe political repercussions in the U.S. and Europe, with several officials stepping down or facing investigations. Critics have attacked the Justice Department for heavy, "ham-fisted" redactions, accusing it of protecting perpetrators while exposing victims.
Recent, in-depth releases (such as the January 2026 dump of three million pages) have often contradicted public statements made by public figures regarding their relationship with Epstein, such as the extent of Howard Lutnick’s visits to Epstein's island.
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The names of some perpetrators or associates were shielded while personal information of survivors was allegedly exposed.
The files have triggered investigations and political resignations in several countries, most notably in Norway, where former Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland was charged with aggravated corruption, and in the UK, where politician Peter Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords.
The files, which include thousands of emails and testimonies, have provided a grim, detailed look into a vast, international sex trafficking operation that thrived for years while its perpetrator maintained high-level social and business ties.
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)
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