The Sandiganbayan has partially granted the request of former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan for hospital detention, permitting him to stay at the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital in Camp Crame while facing a non-bailable plunder charge linked to anomalous flood control projects.
In a ruling by the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division, judges cited Bonoan’s current health status and ongoing medical treatments as the primary reasons for allowing temporary hospital confinement rather than ordering an immediate transfer to a standard jail facility.
“It is a temporary measure given by the (court). A formal medical diagnosis will be forwarded to the Sandiganbayan,” Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said in a text message to reporters.
Remulla disclosed that the former Cabinet official recently suffered a heart attack and had to undergo two medical procedures. He further noted that Bonoan is also managing other chronic health issues, including diabetes and severe spinal pain.
Bonoan faces plunder charges alongside detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada and several other individuals for the alleged misappropriation of flood control project funds worth ₱573 million. State prosecutors accuse them of conspiring to receive kickbacks from the government contracts.
Before the court issued its resolution, Bonoan’s defense team informed the Sandiganbayan that he had been admitted to The Medical City for an angiogram, pleading for continuous medical supervision due to his deteriorating condition.
In its partial approval, the court recognized medical reports showing Bonoan is in a “delicate and immunocompromised state,” conditions that ordinary detention facilities or nearby public hospitals are unequipped to handle properly.
However, the Sandiganbayan clarified that this detention setup is strictly temporary and subject to reassessment.
As a condition for the concession, the court ordered Bonoan’s attending doctor at the PNP General Hospital to submit an independent medical evaluation within five days to substantiate the defense’s health claims.
The anti-graft court likewise mandated hospital officials to provide progress reports every two weeks if Bonoan’s stay is prolonged. These assessments will guide the court in deciding whether the former secretary is fit enough to be moved to the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas.
The plunder case is tied to the government’s sweeping crackdown on corruption involving public infrastructure funds and flood control irregularities.