Marcoleta, Jinggoy now under Sandiganbayan jurisdiction — Palace

Malacañang on Wednesday said that Senators Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada are now under the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan amid the former’s call for the Senate impeachment court to find ways to allow them to participate in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said she believes that that the impeachment court’s ruling, whatever it may be, will not prevail.

“Kung ano man ang magiging desisyon ng Senado patungkol sa manifestation ni Senator Marcoleta, hindi rin po ito mananaig dahil ngayon ang jurisdiction po ni Senator Jinggoy at ni Senator Marcoleta ay nasa kamay po ng Sandiganbayan,” she said in a press briefing.

(Whatever the Senate’s decision may be regarding Senator Marcoleta’s manifestation, it will likewise not prevail because the jurisdiction over Senator Jinggoy and Senator Marcoleta now lies with the Sandiganbayan.)

Marcoleta, who is detained on plunder charges, has called on the Senate impeachment court to find ways for allow him and Estrada, who is detained over plunder and graft charges, to participate in the trial.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano also maintained that the two senators should be allowed to attend the trial.

But according to Castro, retired Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said that individuals detained due to graft and plunder should be suspended.

“At the same time, according din kay Justice Carpio, na ang mga tao na nakakulong habang dinidinig ang kaso patungkol sa mga kaso ng graft and corruption, at kasama din dito kasi similar nature ang plunder, sila dapat ay suspended,” she said.

(At the same time, according to Justice Carpio, people who are detained while their cases involving graft and corruption are being heard, and since plunder is of a similar nature, it is included, they should be suspended.)

She also said that courts do not allow lawyers to practice their profession when detained, unless they are representing themselves.

Aside from this, Castro said that the Sandiganbayan has denied Estrada’s bail.

She also said that the Sandiganbayan appears to share a different opinion from Cayetano, who said that Estrada and Marcoleta are political prisoners.

“If that is his belief, it is probably not the belief of the Sandiganbayan as well. His view is different, just as the courts have their own different perspective,” Castro said in Filipino. — RSJ, GMA News