Court orders Jinggoy Estrada suspended for 90 days

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada —PHOTO FROM JOHN ERIC MENDOZA

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan on Tuesday ordered the 90-day preventive suspension of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who was charged with graft and plunder for supposedly receiving P573 million in kickbacks from budget allocations for flood control projects last year.

“Accordingly, in view of the foregoing, this court hereby orders the suspension pendente lite of accused Senator Jose ‘Jinggoy’ P. Ejercito Estrada from his present position as senator of the Republic of the Philippines, and from any other public office which he may now or hereafter be holding for a period of ninety (90) days from receipt of this resolution, which shall take effect upon the finality of this resolution,” the antigraft court’s Second Division said in a resolution.

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Under Section 5 of Republic Act No. 7080 or the antiplunder law, any public official facing criminal prosecution “under a valid information under this Act … shall be suspended from office.”

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Section 13 of RA 3019 or the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act also states that officials charged with graft or criminal offenses under the Revised Penal Code “shall be suspended from office.”

Senator issues statement

In a statement, Estrada said he remains open to availing himself of all legal remedies under the law.

“Even prior to the issuance of the Sandiganbayan’s order today, I have already taken clear and deliberate steps to demonstrate that I will not, and will never, use the powers and privileges of my office to shield myself from the allegations being hurled against me,” Estrada added.

According to him, this was evident in his voluntary surrender to authorities and his instruction for the Senate secretary to suspend his salary.

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“It is clear to me that there is no room for personal interest in a process aimed at presenting the truth. I do not want to give any semblance of doubt to my intention to respect the process and prove myself in the right forum,” Estrada said.

The Office of the Ombudsman charged the senator and former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan with plunder and two counts of graft before the Sandiganbayan on May 28.

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Released on bail

Estrada, according to the Ombudsman, reportedly received up to P573 million in kickbacks from the alleged manipulation of DPWH flood control project allocations for 2025.

On May 29, the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division issued the arrest warrants against Estrada and Bonoan in connection with the first graft charge. The pair was released that same day after posting bail of P90,000 each.

On June 1, the antigraft court’s Fifth Division issued a second arrest warrant against Estrada and Bonoan, along with three other DPWH officials who are their co-accused in the case, for the nonbailable charge of plunder.

The senator was arrested after he surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group at Camp Crame.

Estrada and three of his co-accused are currently detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas. Bonoan, on the other hand, is on hospital arrest because of various ailments.

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On June 3, a new arrest warrant was served on Estrada and his co-accused at the city jail. The warrant was issued by the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division for the second graft charge. —WITH A REPORT FROM INQUIRER RESEARCH