3 DPWH engineers co-accused of Estrada, Bonoan plead not guilty in plunder, graft raps
By Jel Santos
At A Glance
- Unlike Estrada and Bonoan, the three DPWH engineers did not file motions to quash the informations filed against them, allowing their arraignment to proceed.
Three Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers charged alongside Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Ejercito Estrada and former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan pleaded not guilty before the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division on Thursday, June 4, in connection with plunder and graft cases arising from alleged irregularities in DPWH projects.
Arraigned were suspended Assistant District Engineer Denryl Caesar S. Cortuna, and District Engineers Manny B. Bulusan and Arturo L. Gonzales Jr.
Unlike Estrada and Bonoan, the three DPWH engineers did not file motions to quash the informations filed against them, allowing their arraignment to proceed.
Meanwhile, the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division reset to June 30 the arraignment of Estrada and Bonoan after both accused challenged the validity of the informations through separate motions to quash.
The Sandiganbayan said the postponement would give the court sufficient time to resolve the pending motions.
With the deferment, Estrada’s camp withdrew its motion to fix bail and its motion seeking the senator’s transfer to Camp Crame.
Counsel for Estrada told the court that the defense intends to first secure a ruling on its motion to quash before proceeding with the case.
Bonoan’s counsel, meanwhile, informed the court that a motion to quash had been filed earlier in the day.
The Fifth Division directed the prosecution to file its comment on the motions within 10 days.