The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan has set the arraignment and pre-trial of Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan on Tuesday, June 2. The proceedings stem from a graft case involving alleged anomalies in flood control infrastructure projects valued at ₱573 million.
Under Criminal Case No. E-SB26CRM0004, both officials stand accused of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Just a day prior to the scheduled 1:30 p.m. hearing, Estrada’s legal team submitted an Urgent Omnibus Motion Ad Cautelam on June 1. The defense motion petitions the court to invalidate the charge sheet, dismiss the case permanently with prejudice, or pause the current proceedings to allow for a comprehensive reinvestigation and completion of the preliminary investigation.
The development follows the Sandiganbayan Second Division’s prior issuance of arrest warrants against Estrada and Bonoan.
Both individuals managed to avoid immediate detention by posting a ₱90,000 bail bond each on May 29.
However, Estrada faces separate, weightier legal trouble before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division, where he is charged with plunder over the exact same flood control controversy.
Because plunder is a non-bailable offense under Philippine law, the senator surrendered to law enforcement authorities on Monday immediately after the court issued his arrest warrant.
He is slated for detention at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas. The facility also houses former Senator Bong Revilla, who is currently detained over distinct graft and malversation charges linked to separate flood control project irregularities.
This legal battle adds to Estrada’s history with the anti-graft court. In 2014, he, Revilla, and former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile were detained over the multi-billion peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam, which involved transferring government funds to fake non-government organizations run by Janet Lim-Napoles.
All three lawmakers were eventually acquitted of those charges.