Marilyn Cahatol

Article (news)

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773115273438HDAusLeacAAeo_Q (1).jfif" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator Jinggoy Estrada is at the Sandiganbayan to request permission from the court to leave the country from March 30 to April 5 for a “personal trip.” <em>Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on Tuesday asked the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division for permission to leave the country for a “personal trip,” despite an existing precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) issued against him by a Manila court. </div><p>The anti-graft court division is handling his pending graft case over his alleged misuse of Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). Estrada was present during the presentation of his motion to the associate justices.</p><p>Estrada’s legal team said his trip to Hong Kong, Macau, and Japan would be adjusted from March 30 to April 5, from the original March 31 to April 5. These dates fall on Holy Week.</p><p>Sandiganbayan Fifth Division Chairperson Zaldy Trespeses said Estrada had been complying with the court’s requirements.</p><p>But his counsel said they have yet to submit his plane tickets, hotel bookings, and other documentary requirements, and asked the court if they could comply on Friday.</p><p>The prosecution, which opposed Estrada’s motion, raised the existing precautionary hold departure order against the senator issued by the Manila regional trial court.</p><p>Trespeses said they were not aware of this PHDO.</p><p>“As far as this court is concerned, there is no PHDO issued against this senator. That might affect your travel also, let’s see,” Trespeses told Estrada.</p><p>In a chance interview with ABS-CBN News, Estrada said his lawyers have already filed a motion to lift the precautionary hold departure order issued by the Manila RTC.</p><p>ABS-CBN News is clarifying to the senator&#x27;s camp where his legal team filed the motion.</p><p>“Wala naman silang – they don’t have any knowledge about the PHDO issued by the Manila RTC. My lawyers already filed a motion to lift the precautionary hold departure order,” he told ABS-CBN News.</p><p>“It is the Sandiganbayan that has jurisdiction over me, not the Manila RTC. It is a personal travel with my family,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DOJ to oppose Estrada&#x27;s request</strong></div><p>The Department of Justice said it would oppose any move from the senator to travel abroad, maintaining that he is a &quot;flight risk.&quot;</p><p>In a text message to reporters, Justice Spokesperson Polo Martinez said the PHDO is a court order. </p><p>&quot;As a court order, it can be revoked by order of the same court that issued it,&quot; said Martinez.  </p><p>&quot;Court na ang magsasabi kung may merit ang motion ni Sen. Estrada,&quot; he added. </p><p>The DOJ, he said, &quot;maintains that [Estrada] is a flight risk and must not leave the country.&quot;</p><p>Martinez said the DOJ presumes the Manila Regional Trial Court &quot;acted with jurisdiction&quot; when they issued the PHDO in February. </p><p>The senator previously said accusations linking him to the flood control scandal were &quot;malicious&quot; and &quot;outright lies.&quot; He added that he was the &quot;most vulnerable&quot; target among senators to being implicated in corruption due to his &quot;past issues.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/16/precautionary-hold-departure-order-out-for-jinggoy-estrada-co-respondents-1722">Precautionary hold departure order out for Jinggoy Estrada, co-respondents</a></div><p>In February, Manila’s RTC Branch 52 issued the PHDO against Estrada and his co-respondents in plunder and other charges over alleged irregularities in some flood control projects. </p><p>The Feb. 10 order issued by Presiding Judge Juan Rañola, Jr. directed the Bureau of Immigration to hold the departure of the respondents from the Philippines and include them in the bureau’s Hold Departure List.</p><p>A precautionary hold departure order has the same effect as an HDO and the only difference is the timing when it is issued by court, according to the Bureau of Immigration.</p><p>A regular HDO is issued during the pendency of the case, while a precautionary HDO is issued during the initial stages of a case.</p><div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/3/6/estrada-draws-flak-after-suggesting-filipino-boyfriend-for-gilas-prospect-means-1740">Estrada draws flak after suggesting &#x27;Filipino boyfriend&#x27; for Gilas prospect Means</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iXleKPWvjfc?si=J14zcc1wUhbL5oKH" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on Tuesday asked the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division for permission to leave the country for a “personal trip,” despite an existing precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) issued against him by the Manila regional trial court.</p>

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on Tuesday asked the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division for permission to leave the country for a “personal trip,” despite an existing precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) issued against him by the Manila regional trial court.

Estrada seeks Sandiganbayan permission to leave PH during Holy Week for ‘personal trip’

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Estrada seeks Sandiganbayan permission to leave PH during Holy Week for ‘personal trip’

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 10, 2026 12:16 PM PHT

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Updated March 10, 2026 03:51 PM PHT

Read More:

Jinggoy Estrada

Sandiganbayan Fifth Division

hold departure order

graft

PDAF

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