Sandigan junks Estrada’s bid to attend Duterte impeachment trial

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has junked the bid of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada to attend the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Estrada is facing a non-bailable plunder case in the anti-graft court Fifth Division stemming from alleged “intricate mechanism involving illegal budgetary insertions and project allocations” within the Department of Public Works and Highways’ infrastructure portfolio for fiscal year 2025 worth P573 million, according to state prosecutors. The senator has repeatedly denied the accusations.

In a resolution dated July 9, Thursday, the anti-graft court division said it denied the “Motion to Allow Accused Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada to Attend the Senate Impeachment Trial of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio” dated June 29.

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READ: Senate impeachment court OKs 92 trial days, 17 shared witnesses

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According to the court, Estrada noted the conviction of an impeachable officer like the vice president requires the concurrence of two-thirds or 16 of 24 senators including him, and that his participation in the impeachment trial as a senator judge provides a “compelling” reason for a temporary leave from detention.

However, the court noted that the impeachment trial is held three times a week to fulfill the 92 trial days, running for a period of 31 weeks.

“Such a prolonged and recurring arrangement cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, be considered an emergency or compelling temporary leave from detention,” the court said.

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 president.

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If convicted, Duterte will be removed from office and barred from holding any public post. She is the first one to announce her presidential bid. /das

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