Jinggoy Estrada's request to attend Sara Duterte impeachment trial junked

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has denied the motion of Senator Jinggoy Estrada to attend the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte due to lack of merit.

In a seven-page resolution dated July 9, 2026, the anti-graft court said Estrada's motion is "bereft of merit."

"This court cannot consider the accused-movant's request to be in the nature of emergency of compelling temporary leave. While an impeachment trial is of paramount constitutional importance, its significance does not, by itself, provide a basis for the grant of his request," it said.

Estrada is facing a non-bailable P573-million plunder and two counts of graft cases in connection with his alleged links to the flood control mess.

A non-bailable offense means the accused must file a bail petition first and secure the approval of the court before securing temporary liberty.

"Overall, the trial period would span 31 weeks. Such a prolonged and recurring arrangement cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, be considered an emergency or compelling temporary leave from detention. Allowing the accused-movant to attend the impeachment trial would virtually make him a free man with all the privileges appurtenant to his position," the court added.

Likewise, it said allowing Estrada to participate in the impeachment proceedings would "make a mockery of the purposes of preventive detention."

"To grant such request would substantially erode the very restraints that lawful detention necessarily entails," the Sandiganbayan added.—AOL, GMA News