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Senator Jinggoy Estrada and his four other co-accused in the ₱573‑million plunder and graft charges over their alleged involvement in the flood control mess will be detained at the New Quezon City Male Dormitory Jail in Payatas, Quezon City, the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division confirmed Monday.
The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division, where the plunder and graft charges against the accused are pending, made the confirmation after ordering the arrest of Estrada and the four others.
The Sandiganbayan 5th Division earlier in the day issued a warrant of arrest against Estrada, who is facing a ₱573‑million plunder and graft charge filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.
Estrada’s co-accused in the plunder and graft charge include:
- former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan
- DPWH NCR Assistant District Engineer Denryl Caesar Sanchez Cortuna
- DPWH NCR District Engineer Manny Bumagat Bulusan and
- DPWH NCR District Engineer Arturo Lombres Gonzales Jr.
Plunder, being a non-bailable offense, would mean that Estrada will be detained before he and his co-accused can file a petition for bail.
Estrada and his four other co-respondents would need to get the court’s approval for petition for bail before they can secure temporary liberty pending the resolution of the plunder charge against them.
Estrada and Bonoan are also facing a separate graft charge before the Second Division in connection with the flood control mess.
Estrada and Bonoan posted a P90,000 bail each before the Second Division to secure their temporary liberty last May 29 because graft is a bailable offense.
Estrada and his co-accused have yet to post bail before the Fifth Division where they also have a pending graft case. — RSJ, GMA News
