MANILA — Sen. Jinggoy Estrada could face preventive suspension as he battles plunder and graft charges over an alleged P500-million flood control kickback scheme, with the Sandiganbayan on Thursday ordering him to explain why he should remain in office while the cases are pending.
The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division gave Estrada’s camp 10 days to submit its explanation, while prosecutors were given five days to respond after receiving the defense submission.
The issue will then be submitted to the anti-graft court for resolution.
During Thursday’s arraignment, the court also entered not guilty pleas on Estrada’s behalf after the senator declined to personally plead to the plunder and graft charges.
Estrada appeared before the Fifth Division in Quezon City using crutches and under the custody of Bureau of Jail Management and Penology personnel.
Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeses said the court was required to enter a not guilty plea whenever an accused refuses to plead or makes a conditional plea.
“Let pleas of not guilty be entered into the records of this case,” Trespeses said.
Before entering the pleas, the court asked Estrada whether his lawyer had explained the amended charges against him and the implications of the proceedings.
His counsel, Laurence Arroyo, had requested that the reading of the information in both cases be waived.
“Yes, your honor,” Estrada replied when asked whether he understood the contents and consequences explained by his lawyer.
Estrada and other respondents are accused of conspiring to collect more than P500 million in kickbacks from flood control projects.
The cases recently took a significant turn after the Sandiganbayan approved the prosecution’s request to remove former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan as an accused following his agreement to cooperate with authorities as a state witness.
During Thursday’s hearing, Bonoan’s lawyer, Stefanie Ong, also asked the court to order her client’s release from hospital detention at the PNP General Hospital.
Trespeses said the request would be resolved separately.
The Fifth Division set a preliminary conference on September 11 for the marking of evidence.
Estrada’s lawyers were also directed to attend the conference so the court could schedule proceedings on the senator’s petition for bail./PN
