SENATOR Jinggoy Estrada appeared before the Sandiganbayan on Monday to fulfill his reporting obligation following his recent international travel during the Holy Week.
The senator visited the clerk of court’s office of the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division after returning from a trip that included stops in Hong Kong, Macau, and Japan, spanning from March 31 to April 5. This reporting requirement is a standard procedure for individuals facing pending cases before the anti-graft court.
Estrada, who is facing ongoing legal battles related to the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam, is accused of allegedly receiving kickbacks amounting to P55.79 million from businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.
Although he was acquitted of plunder charges last year, he was convicted of direct and indirect bribery and still faces 11 counts of graft in connection with the same case. Obtaining travel clearance from the Sandiganbayan is a mandatory requirement for Estrada due to these pending cases, a clearance he secured last month prior to his trip.
The senator’s legal troubles extend beyond the PDAF scam. He has also been implicated in anomalies concerning flood control projects. Brice Hernandez, a former Public Works assistant district engineer, accused Estrada of allegedly orchestrating the allocation of P355 million in funding for Bulacan’s first district in exchange for a purported 30 percent kickback. Estrada has vehemently denied these allegations, asserting that his past involvement in the PDAF controversy makes him an easy target for corruption accusations from his detractors.
Media inquiries outside the clerk of court’s office were met with silence from the senator.
