Former broadcaster Jay Sonza was temporarily released from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Quezon City Jail - Ligtas Covid Center and Quarantine Facility in Payatas on Tuesday evening, Aug. 22, after he posted P270,000 bail for the 11 counts of estafa (swindling) and libel charges filed against him.
BJMP Spokesperson Jail Chief Inspector Jayrex Bustinera confirmed that Sonza was released from the facility at around 8:57 p.m.
He said the former broadcaster posted bail amounting to P260,000 for the estafa charges at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QC RTC) Branch 100. They received his release order from the court at around 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
Sonza also posted P10,000 bail for the libel case (QC RTC Branch 77), Bustinera said.
Sonza was collared by members of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on July 18 for several charges, including the 11 counts of estafa, libel, illegal recruitment, and syndicated and large-scale illegal recruitment, after he presented himself for immigration inspection at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport before his supposed travel to Hongkong.
He was brought to the QC Jail Quarantine Facility in Payatas to undergo a 14-day quarantine earlier in August.
On Thursday, Aug. 17, the illegal recruitment and syndicated and large-scale illegal recruitment charges filed against Sonza were provisionally dismissed by QC RTC Branch 215 and Branch 100, respectively, after the private complainants reportedly failed to coordinate and attend the hearings for the cases.