Sen. Jinggoy Estrada has been ordered to serve another 90-day preventive suspension over plunder and graft cases involving alleged P573 million in kickbacks from flood control projects.
The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division issued the resolution on October 12, directing Estrada’s suspension from the Senate and any other public office he holds for 90 days upon receipt of the order.
Sandiganbayan Orders Second 90-Day Suspension
The court sent a copy of the resolution to the office of Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian for implementation and directed it to submit a report within five days.
The order came shortly after Estrada completed a separate 90-day preventive suspension imposed by the Sandiganbayan Second Division in another graft case. He began serving that suspension on June 22.
Court Rejects Estrada’s Opposition
Estrada opposed the new suspension, arguing that another 90-day order would be overly punitive. He also maintained that preventive suspension was no longer necessary because he had been detained at the New Quezon City Jail since June 1 and could no longer interfere with his prosecution.
The Fifth Division rejected his arguments, citing Section 13 of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Section 5 of the Plunder Law.
The court said preventive suspension is mandatory once a valid information is filed, describing the requirement as having “no ifs and buts about it.”
It had deferred the suspension while resolving Estrada’s motions challenging the charges, including a request to amend them to remove former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan as an accused. After denying the motions on October 9, the court said the suspension was “now in order.”
Flood Control Cases Remain Pending
The Office of the Ombudsman filed the cases on May 28. Estrada’s co-accused, former Department of Public Works and Highways officials Denryl Caesar Cortuna, Manny Bulusan, and Arturo Gonzales Jr., were also suspended in June.
Preventive suspension is not a penalty or a determination of guilt. Estrada denies the charges, which remain allegations pending the court’s final ruling.
