Senator Jinggoy Estrada surrenders to police over plunder and graft charges
Senator Jinggoy Estrada surrendered to Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group personnel at the Senate on June 1 after the Sandiganbayan ordered his arrest in flood-control corruption cases. The Office of the Ombudsman filed the charges on May 28.
manilatimes.netSenator Jinggoy Estrada surrendered to Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group personnel at the Senate on June 1 after the Sandiganbayan 5th Division ordered his arrest in plunder and graft cases. The cases stem from alleged involvement in flood-control budget insertions.
The Office of the Ombudsman filed the charges on May 28 against Estrada, former Department of Public Works and Highways secretary Manuel Bonoan, and other former DPWH officials.
Background of the charges The Ombudsman described a scheme in which funds were assigned to specific infrastructure projects in exchange for commission fees or kickbacks. Case records show an accumulated sum of illicit payouts exceeding P573 million delivered to Estrada, the Ombudsman said.
Estrada read a prepared statement to media before surrendering but did not answer questions. He stated he would defend himself and would not seek Senate protective custody.
Prior legal history The Sandiganbayan 2nd Division issued a separate arrest warrant on May 29 for another graft case; Estrada posted P90,000 bail and secured temporary liberty. This marks Estrada’s third plunder case in 25 years; he was acquitted in two earlier cases linked to the 2001 jueteng scandal and the 2014 pork barrel scam.
Estrada is the highest-ranking sitting official arrested so far in the flood-control investigation. His cases are the fourth set to reach the Sandiganbayan after charges against former representative Zaldy Co, contractor Sarah Discaya, and former senator Bong Revilla.
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