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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider RTC issues order stopping Sen Jinggoy Estrada, 4 others from leaving PH due to plunder charge at DOJ

RTC issues order stopping Sen Jinggoy Estrada, 4 others from leaving PH due to plunder charge at DOJ

Published Feb 16, 2026 05:55 pm
A Manila regional trial court (RTC) has issued a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) against Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada and his four co-respondents in a plunder charge pending at the Department of Justice (DOJ).
DOJ Spokesperson Prosecution Attorney Raphael Niccolo L. Martinez told journalists on Monday afternoon, Feb. 16: “I just received word that on Feb. 10, 2026 the Branch 52 of RTC Manila issued a precautionary hold departure order against five individuals.”
Martinez said that in the order, Presiding Judge Juan G. Ranola Jr. granted the petition of a panel of prosecutors to issue the PHDO against Estrada, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel Bonoan, former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, DPWH Regional Director Gerard Opulencia, and former DPWH Bulacan First District engineer Henry Alcantara.
He said the trial court “found probable cause to believe that the respondents will depart from the Philippines to evade arrest.”
He added that the court ordered the commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to hold the departure of the five individuals and to include them in the hold departure list.
Estrada and his four co-respondents are facing a plunder charge in the flood control mess which is now under preliminary investigation before a DOJ panel of prosecutors.
Hold departure orders (HDOs) are issued by courts once charges have been filed before the courts to prevent accused from leaving the country, Martinez said.
If a charge is still undergoing preliminary investigation and no case has been filed before the courts, prosecutors may ask the courts for the issuance of a PHDO that prevents respondents from leaving the country, he also said.
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