MANILA — Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and former Public Works and Highways secretary Manuel Bonoan have been ordered arrested by the Sandiganbayan over graft charges linked to alleged irregularities in government flood control projects, escalating one of the most high-profile infrastructure corruption cases now pending before the anti-graft court.
In an order issued Friday, May 29, the Sandiganbayan Second Division issued warrants of arrest and hold departure orders against Estrada, Bonoan, and other respondents charged by the Office of the Ombudsman following an investigation into the alleged misuse of flood control project funds.
The court set bail at P90,000 for each accused in the graft case.
The charges stem from an Ombudsman probe into alleged anomalies involving flood control projects, while Estrada is also facing a separate plunder complaint in which prosecutors accused him of receiving up to P573 million in alleged kickbacks from infrastructure projects.
The arrest order came a day after Estrada publicly declared that he would fight the charges and challenge the proceedings before the Sandiganbayan.
“We will exhaust all legal remedies,” Estrada said.
The senator maintained that the investigation was flawed and argued that authorities failed to adequately consider evidence that he said supports his defense.
Among the documents he cited was a certification issued by the Senate Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office (LBRMO), which he claimed showed there was no record that he introduced budget insertions in the 2025 national budget.
Estrada said the certification directly contradicted key allegations against him but was allegedly disregarded during the investigation process.
He also questioned what he described as procedural deficiencies, including the limited period given to him to review and respond to findings issued by the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman before charges were filed.
“Ang ganitong labis at hindi makatuwirang proseso ay may seryosong implikasyon sa aking right to due process,” Estrada said.
The senator likewise raised concerns over the speed with which the cases advanced, noting that the Ombudsman filed charges shortly after the DOJ issued its resolution.
He claimed the anti-graft body moved forward without conducting an independent fact-finding inquiry despite assurances that a separate review would be undertaken.
“As I have said before, if this is the price that I have to pay for standing by my principles and for what I believe in, then so be it,” he said.
“Ipagpapatuloy ko ang paghahanap ng katotohanan at ang pagtatanggol sa aking pangalan sa tamang forum at alinsunod sa batas,” he added.
The Sandiganbayan’s issuance of arrest warrants marks a significant development in the case and paves the way for court proceedings on the graft charges as Estrada and his co-accused prepare to mount their defense before the anti-graft tribunal./PN
