Jinggoy Estrada appeals Sandiganbayan's denial of his motion to bail

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who is facing a P573-million plunder charge in connection with the flood control mess, has appealed the Sandiganbayan’s denial of his motion to fix bail.

Estrada said he is no flight risk and that his case is an exception to the general rule.

The senator cited the Supreme Court (SC) decision in 2015 and upheld in 2016, which granted bail to then-accused late senator Juan Ponce Enrile on humanitarian grounds and not being a flight risk.

During that time, Enrile was facing a P172 million plunder case over alleged misuse of his discretionary pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund. He was cleared by the Sandiganbayan of the case in October 2025.

“In Enrile [SC ruling], Senator Enrile was granted bail because he was not a flight risk irrespective of the strength of the evidence against him. It is this exception to the general rule that accused Estrada invokes in asking the Honorable Court to fix the amount of bail and order his release sans a summary hearing where the prosecution presents evidence of the guilt of the accused,” Estrada’s motion read.

“Accused Estrada submits that he is similarly situated as Senator Enrile. They are both not flight risks,” it added.

His camp cited that as an incumbent senator elected in the 2022 polls, Estrada’s term does not end until June 2028 and “has been in public service for close to 40 years.”

Likewise, Estrada said the anti-graft court has granted his previous motions to travel overseas numerous times even if he has 11 counts of graft charges pending before other Sandiganbayan divisions involving his alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.

Estrada said he was allowed to travel thrice this year alone.

Here is the list of Estrada's travel abroad permitted by the Sandiganbayan:

• May 26 to June 1, 2025 in Hong Kong and Macau
• July 6 to 27, 2025 in the United States
• December 26 to 31, 2025 in Japan
• January 5 to 15, 2026 in Austria and Norway
• March 20 to April 5, 2026 in Japan and
• April 21 to 25, 2026 in Singapore, among others.

“To be sure, accused Estrada is not 92 years old, as Senator Enrile was. Nor does he possess the fragile health of a nonagenarian. Yet these differences do not alter the essential point: accused Estrada is not a flight risk. There are currently several high-profile criminal defendants who remain at large, evading arrest and undermining the authority of the courts. Accused Estrada has never exhibited the slightest inclination to flee the jurisdiction of Philippine courts,” the motion read.

“Upon learning of the issuance of the arrest warrant against him by the Honorable Court, he immediately voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement authorities. His conduct demonstrates respect for judicial processes and affirms that he poses no risk of flight. Wherefore, premises considered, accused Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada respectfully prays that the Honorable Court reconsider its Resolution dated 24 July 2026 and issue a new one granting his Motion to Fix Bail dated 29 June 2026. Other relief, just and equitable under the premises, is likewise prayed for,” the motion added. —AOL, GMA News