Sandiganbayan grants P1.3-M bail to Jinggoy Estrada

The Sandigabayan on Friday granted the appeal of former Senator Jinggoy Estrada to post bail for his temporary liberty, Estrada's lawyer has said.

Attorney Alexis Suarez said the court ordered the former senator to pay P1 million for plunder and P330,000 for graft.

She said they will post the bail on Saturday.

"Wala pang natatanggap na order now. But if ever there is an Order granting bail, bukas na mag-post ng bail," Suarez said in a text message as of 4:57 p.m.

Two highly placed sources from the anti-graft court confirmed the development amid reports that the Fifth Division has already promulgated the resolution.

Estrada is facing plunder, a non-bailable offense, and 11 counts of graft for allegedly pocketing P183.8-million in kickbacks by allocating his Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel to fake non-government organizations allegedly owned by Janet Lim Napoles, the scam's alleged mastermind.

Both sources said the Sandiganbayan has recommended a bail bond of more than P1.33 million in the case, P1 million for plunder and P30,000 for each count of plunder.

The family of Estrada already trooped to the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame ahead of the former lawmaker's release.

In an omnibus motion filed by his lawyers in September last year, Estrada said he could not be held liable for plunder because the prosecution “fatally failed” to prove the essential elements of the crime in the case information it submitted to the Sandiganbayan.

He further argued that the prosecution failed to present “strong, credible and convincing evidence” to pin him down for the crime.

However, state prosecutors said Estrada’s motion should be denied since the court has already ruled with finality that he cannot post bail for the plunder case he is facing in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

Although Estrada filed an omnibus motion, the prosecution also said his latest pleading is “nothing more than a second motion for reconsideration,” as supposedly proved by the similarities it contains with the bail plea and original motion for reconsideration he had filed. —NB, GMA News