Jinggoy Estrada withdraws bid to attend Sara Duterte impeachment trial

MANILA, Philippines – Detained Sen. Jinggoy Estrada has withdrawn a motion before the Sandiganbayan Second Division requesting permission to attend the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

The withdrawal was procedural in nature as Estrada’s camp informed the 2nd Division that the motion was intended to be filed before the 5th Division that handles his plunder case.

In a resolution dated July 1, the anti-graft court Second Division said Estrada’s camp informed them that they are withdrawing their “Motion to Allow Accused Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada to Attend the Senate Impeachment Trial [of] Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio” which they filed on June 30.

Article continues after this advertisement

The motion was intended to be filed with the 5th division.

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

Estrada’s plunder case stemmed from “intricate mechanism involving illegal budgetary insertions and project allocations” within the DPWH infrastructure portfolio for fiscal year 2025 worth P573 million, according to state prosecutors.

The senator has repeatedly denied the accusations.

The Second Division handles his bailable graft case. The senator has since posted a P90,000 bail in this court division.

“Finding the withdrawal to be in order, the motion to allow his attendance in the impeachment trial is hereby deemed WITHDRAWN,” the single-page resolution dated July 1 stated.

Article continues after this advertisement

The document was initially reported by media outlets on Thursday, and the Second Division’s clerk of court later confirmed its authenticity.

Estrada, perceived to be part of the pro-Duterte bloc in the Senate, would have been one of the senator-judges that would decide whether to convict or acquit the vice prersident.

Article continues after this advertisement

If convicted, Duterte will be removed from office and barred from holding any public post. She earlier announce her plan to run for president in 2028./gsg

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.