Senator Jinggoy Estrada seeks bail in ₱573-million plunder case over flood control scandal

Senator Jinggoy Estrada has formally asked the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division to grant him bail in the ₱573 million plunder case filed against him over his alleged involvement in the flood control corruption controversy.

The petition came two days after the anti-graft court denied Estrada's motion to fix bail, ruling that the request was premature because he had yet to file the proper application for bail.

In his petition, Estrada argued that prosecutors failed to present strong evidence showing that he amassed ill-gotten wealth or unlawfully enriched himself during the period covered by the complaint.

"There is no strong evidence that during the period of July of 2024 to March of 2025, accused Estrada, directly or indirectly, through a combination or series of overt or criminal acts, amassed, accumulated or acquired ill-gotten wealth or unjustly enriched himself in the amount of P573,750,000, or any amount for that matter," the petition read.

Estrada also denied allegations that he demanded or received kickbacks from former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo or any of the latter's representatives in connection with flood control projects.

"There is no strong evidence that accused Estrada willfully and unlawfully demanded, solicited, or received, directly or indirectly, from [then] DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, or the latter's aide, driver, or representative, any so called commitment, kickbacks, or commissions, whether in the amount of 25% of the total project budget of P360,000,000 o otherwise, either by reason of his position as Senator or in connection with any DPWH flood control or infrastructure project," it added.

He likewise maintained that prosecutors had no evidence showing he sought similar favors from former Bulacan First District Engineering Office District Engineer Henry Alcantara.

Estrada further argued that the prosecution failed to establish that he and co-accused Manuel Bonoan unlawfully caused flood control projects to be inserted into the 2025 national budget or that he conspired with Bonoan and the other accused to commit plunder.

"There is no strong evidence of any conspiracy to commit plunder or any other crime between accused Estrada and his co-accused Manuel Bonoan, Denryl Cortuna, Manny Bulusan, and Arturo Gonzales, Jr. Because the evidence of his guilt is not strong, accused Estrada should be admitted to bail," the petition stated.

Earlier this week, the Sandiganbayan denied Estrada's motion to fix bail, explaining that bail is not automatically available to individuals charged with capital offenses such as plunder and may only be granted at the court's discretion after a bail hearing.

The anti-graft court also clarified that a motion to fix bail merely asks the court to determine the amount of bail, while an application for bail seeks a judicial finding that the evidence of guilt is not strong. Only after such a determination can the court set a bail amount.

Apart from the plunder charge, Estrada is also facing two graft cases linked to the alleged flood control scandal, one pending before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division and another before its Second Division.

-Paraluman News