Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. Photo by Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate Social Media Unit

Article (news)

MANILA — The Supreme Court has effectively given the Sandiganbayan the go signal to proceed with the graft trial of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in connection with the Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF scam.In a statement, the SC said the en banc dismissed during its October 28, 2025 session the petition for certiorari — or review — that Estrada filed.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/01/19/24/jinggoy-acquitted-of-plunder-guilty-of-direct-indirect-bribery">Jinggoy acquitted of plunder; guilty of direct, indirect bribery in pork barrel scam </a></div>The SC noted that Estrada had argued that his graft charges were deemed absorbed by the plunder case that he has already been acquitted in.“The Decision effectively affirms that violations of Republic Act No. 3019 may be prosecuted separately from plunder,” the SC said in the statement.The court noted that under RA 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the benefit or advantage is given to a private individual separate from the public officer.Under Republic Act No. 7080 or the Plunder Law, it is the public officer himself who directly benefits by receiving kickbacks or unjustly enriching himself.“The Court further explained that the absorption principle—where one offense merges into another—does not apply between graft and plunder, except in rare cases where the same public officer is both the giver and recipient of the unwarranted benefit,” Estrada said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/10/jinggoy-says-most-vulnerable-to-corruption-claims-says-unfair-to-link-his-past-issues-1025">Jinggoy says &#x27;most vulnerable&#x27; to corruption claims, says &#x27;unfair&#x27; to link his &#x27;past issues&#x27; </a></div>The court also dismissed Estrada’s petitions for certiorari involving the plunder cases, for being moot and academic.While Estrada’s graft cases are still pending before the Sandiganbayan, he was acquitted of plunder by the anti-graft court in 2024 .

The Supreme Court has effectively given the Sandiganbayan the go signal to proceed with the graft trial of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in connection with the Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF scam.

The Supreme Court has effectively given the Sandiganbayan the go signal to proceed with the graft trial of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in connection with the Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF scam.

SC says Sandiganbayan can proceed with Jinggoy’s PDAF graft trial

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SC says Sandiganbayan can proceed with Jinggoy’s PDAF graft trial

Jonathan de Santos

Published Oct 29, 2025 05:24 PM PHT

Read More:

Supreme Court

Sandiganbayan

Jinggoy Estrada

Plunder

PDAF Scam

Priority Development Assistance Fund

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