Manila court issues HDO for Jinggoy Estrada, co-respondents in flood control mess

A Manila court has ordered the issuance of a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) against Senator Jinggoy Estrada and his co-respondents in his plunder complaint at the Department of Justice (DOJ) over their alleged involvement in an anomalous flood control project.

Based on the four-page order, the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 52 also directed the issuance of a PHDO against former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan, former DPWH undersecretaries Maria Catalina Cabral and Roberto Bernardo, former DPWH regional director Gerard Opulencia, and former district engineer Henry Alcantara.

“[T]here is probable cause to believe that respondents will depart from the Philippines to evade arrest and prosecution of the crimes against them here,” the court said.

The court directed the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation to hold their departure from the Philippines.

“Please note that this does not mean that the pending cases for plunder before the DOJ have already been resolved. Kaya po siya precautionary,” Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said.

“By the term precautionary, ibig sabihin niyan, bago pa po ma-file formally ang kaso in court nag issue na po ‘yung judge… of the order anticipating that the respondents in these plunder cases pending before the DOJ may evade arrest,” he added.`

Martinez previously said that a plunder complaint is not confined to a single project or locality. Instead, it covers allegations of the acquisition of ill-gotten wealth amounting to more than P50 million, allegedly obtained through a combination or series of transactions.

GMA News Online has asked Estrada’s camp for comment.

Bonoan earlier submitted his counter-affidavit on the complaint. He said that he has asked for permission from the DOJ amid his plans to leave for the United States.

Meanwhile, the DOJ previously said that Bernardo, Alcantara, and Opulencia are now state witnesses in the government’s investigation in the flood control scheme. –NB, GMA Integrated News