Jay Sonza allowed to post bail, says NBI

The court has allowed former TV host Jay Sonza to post a P10,000 bail following his arrest last week, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed on Sunday. 

“Nakakuha kami ng bagong utos galing sa Regional Trial Court ng Pasay, dated May 2, kahapon po ‘yan, na sinet po ang bail ni Jay Sonza for P10,000,” said NBI director Melvin Matibag in a video statement. 

(We received a new order from the Pasay Regional Trial Court dated May 2—which was just yesterday—setting the bail for Jay Sonza at P10,000.)

Matibag added that NBI operatives will bring Sonza to the court at 8 a.m. on Monday, May 4. 

Meanwhile, Sonza’s lawyer Mark Tolentino also confirmed that they will post bail tomorrow.

“As today is a non-working day and the courts are closed, we will post bail early tomorrow morning (Monday) to secure his immediate release,” the lawyer said in a Facebook post. 

The NBI arrested Sonza on April 30 at his residence in Quezon City over his alleged spread of fake medical information of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

Sonza is charged with unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances under Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act 10951, in relation to Section 6 of RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

The NBI said the warrant issued by the Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 118 “indicates that the offense is not bailable.” 

On Saturday, Tolentino argued that the warrant issued by the Pasay RTC cited “Article 154 as amended by Republic Act No. 10591,” referring to Unlawful Use of Means of Publication and Unlawful Utterances.

Tolentino pointed out, however, that Republic Act No. 10591 is actually the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

He also said that the warrant described the offense as non-bailable, but research by GMA News indicated that the charges are, in fact, bailable.

The Pasay RTC Branch 118 rectified its earlier order, according to the document obtained by GMA News. 

“However, upon closer examination of the warrant of arrest that it issued where it stated that the offense is NOT BAILABLE, the Court rectifies the same and hereby fixes the amount of bail at Ten Thousand Pesos (Php 10,000.00) for the provisional liberty of the accused,” the latest court order read. 

The arraignment is set at 8:30 a.m. on Monday. 

Further, Tolentino said that they have maintained that the offense charged against Sonza is bailable. 

“From the outset, we have maintained that the offense charged is bailable as a matter of right, and the Court’s latest action affirms this position. The prior issuance of a non-bailable warrant was legally erroneous and resulted in an unjustified deprivation of liberty,” he said.

“We are taking all necessary steps to ensure Mr. Sonza’s prompt release and will continue to pursue appropriate remedies in light of the irregularities in this case,” he added. —RF/BM, GMA News