The Sandiganbayan Second Division has postponed the arraignment of Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former Public Works chief Manuel Bonoan on graft charges in connection with the alleged flood control mess to June 4, 1:30 p.m.
The anti-graft court’s Second Division, chaired by Presiding Justice Geraldine Econg, ordered the rescheduling pending resolution of the pleadings filed by Estrada and Bonoan.
Senator Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday described the Senate majority bloc's absence at the plenary session as a form of "boycott" after Senator Jinggoy Estrada was arrested for plunder charges.
"Maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw, boycott ang session kahapon dahil sa sama ng loob nila na hinuli si Sen. Jinggoy Estrada," Tulfo said in an interview on Unang Balita.
(It's clear as day that they boycotted the session because of Estrada's arrest.)
"Naiintindihan ko ang bugso ng damdamin nila pero paano naman ang taumbayan?... Hindi naman kami binayaran para mag-absent... Hindi rin kami binayaran para makiisa sa kasamahan namin na kinulong. Binayaran kami at binoto para magtrabaho at gumawa ng panukalang batas," he added.
Malacañang on Tuesday said there was no obstruction of justice on the part of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano despite his tense exchange with Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla during the serving of an arrest warrant against Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Monday.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro made the remark as she clarified that Estrada was arrested by authorities and did not voluntarily surrender.
“Hindi naman siya obstruction of justice. ’Di naman niya itinago,” Castro said in a Palace briefing.
(There’s no obstruction of justice. He did not hide Estrada.)
Senator Jinggoy Estrada and three of his co-accused in a flood control case are now detained at the Quezon City Jail - Male Dormitory located in Payatas after being transferred to the facility on Monday, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said Tuesday.
In a statement, BJMP spokesperson Jail Superintendent Jayrex Bustinera said Estrada, Denryl Caeser Cortuna, Manny Bumagat Bulusan, and Arturo Lombres Gonzales Jr. have already been committed to jail authorities.
“Cortuna was committed to jail authorities at 5:47 PM, followed by Senator Estrada, Bulusan, and Gonzales at 8:15 PM,” Bustinera said.
He said the four detainees would not receive special treatment despite the high-profile nature of the case.
"The BJMP firmly assures the public that no VIP treatment will be extended," Bustinera said.
He added that all four detainees underwent mandatory medical screening procedures upon admission and have been placed in the facility's general persons deprived of liberty (PDL) population.
Estrada and his co-accused would be subject to the same security and custodial measures imposed on all detainees, according to the BJMP official.
Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel Bonoan stayed overnight at the PNP General Hospital after his surrender to the police due to elevated blood pressure.
The Sandiganbayan 5th Division on Monday issued a warrant of arrest against Estrada and others over a P573?million plunder and graft charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.
Estrada has denied the allegations.
"Mariin kong itinatanggi ang mga paratang laban sa akin. Ang mga ito ay walang batayan at walang bahid ng katotohanan. I respect the rule of law and our judicial institutions, and this is precisely why I am posting bail and personally submitting myself to the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan," Estrada earlier said.
(I strongly deny the baseless and false accusations against me. I respect the rule of law and our judicial institutions, and this is precisely why I am posting bail and personally submitting myself to the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan.) —AOL, GMA News
Sen. JV Ejercito said he’s sad for his brother and colleague, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who was arrested on Monday on plunder charges tied to congressional insertions and anomalous flood control projects.
Ejercito is a member of the Senate minority, which stayed in the Senate session hall after Estrada’s arrest.
Senate President Alan Cayetano accompanied Estrada to Camp Crame, where the latter was processed following his arrest.
The other members of the Senate majority skipped the session altogether, causing no session to be held due to a lack of quorum.
“Ipinalangin ko na magkaroon siya ng lakas ng loob na harapin itong mga akusasyon sa kanya, kaya lang sa huli, siyempre kailangan manaig ‘yung katotohanan saka ‘yung hustisya,” Ejercito said after the members of the minority stopped waiting for the majority senators.
“Bilang kapatid… at kasama, nalulungkot din ako para sa kanya at sa kanyang pamilya. Kailangan natin umusad ang batas,” he added. –NB, GMA News
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