MANILA — A Manila court has barred Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and several former top officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) from leaving the country, citing probable cause that they could evade arrest as a plunder complaint involving an allegedly anomalous flood control project undergoes review by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
In a four-page order, the Regional Trial Court Branch 52 issued a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) against Estrada and his co-respondents, including former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, former undersecretaries Maria Catalina Cabral and Roberto Bernardo, former regional director Gerard Opulencia, and former district engineer Henry Alcantara.
The court said the measure was necessary to keep the respondents within Philippine jurisdiction while the plunder complaint is being evaluated.
“[T]here is probable cause to believe that respondents will depart from the Philippines to evade arrest and prosecution of the crimes against them here,” the court said.
The order directs the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation to prevent the respondents from leaving the country.
Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez stressed that the issuance of the PHDO does not mean the plunder case has already been resolved, noting that the complaint remains under review by the DOJ.
“Please note that this does not mean that the pending cases for plunder before the DOJ have already been resolved. Kaya po siya precautionary,” Martinez said.
“By the term precautionary, ibig sabihin niyan, bago pa po ma-file formally ang kaso in court nag issue na po ‘yung judge… of the order anticipating that the respondents in these plunder cases pending before the DOJ may evade arrest,” he added.
Martinez explained that plunder charges generally involve allegations of amassing at least P50 million in ill-gotten wealth through a series of transactions, rather than a single project.
Estrada’s camp has yet to issue a statement on the court order.
Bonoan has submitted a counter-affidavit denying the allegations and had previously sought DOJ clearance for a planned trip to the United States.
Cabral died in December 2025 following an alleged fall.
Meanwhile, Bernardo, Alcantara, and Opulencia have been identified as state witnesses in the government’s investigation into the questioned flood control projects.
The precautionary hold departure order will remain in effect pending the DOJ’s determination on whether formal charges will be filed in court./PN
