Sandiganbayan orders Jinggoy Estrada's arrest in plunder case; no bail set
By Jel Santos
(MB FILE PHOTO)
The Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division on Monday, June 1, issued a warrant of arrest against Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” P. Estrada and four co-accused in connection with the plunder case filed against them over alleged illegal budget insertions and more than P573 million in purported kickbacks linked to Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) infrastructure and flood-control projects under the Fiscal Year 2025 budget.
The warrant, signed by Fifth Division Chairperson Associate Justice Zaldy V. Trespeses, stated “No Bail.”
Also named in the warrant were former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Assistant District Engineer Denryl Caesar S. Cortuna, and District Engineers Manny B. Bulusan and Arturo L. Gonzales Jr.
On May 28, the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) filed plunder and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan in connection with alleged illegal budget insertions and the disbursement of more than P573 million in purported kickbacks involving DPWH infrastructure and flood-control projects funded under the Fiscal Year 2025 budget.
In a statement issued on June 1, Estrada asked the anti-graft court to dismiss the plunder and graft charges filed against him.
Through an Urgent Omnibus Motion Ad Cautelam, Estrada said his legal team sought the quashing of the informations and the dismissal of all cases against him.
On May 29, the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division issued warrants of arrest against Estrada and Bonoan in one of the graft cases pending before the anti-graft court. Both posted bail on the same day.
Estrada and Bonoan are also facing another graft charge pending before the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division, which likewise handles the plunder case against them and their co-respondents.