Marilyn Cahatol

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, heavily escorted by BJMP personnel, emerges from the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City after appearing for his arraignment on graft charges alongside former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan on June 2, 2026.Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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SEN- JINGGOY ESTRADA ARRAIGNMENT

Allison Co

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/178132955326020260602-jinggoy-estrada-arraignment-JC4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Senator Jinggoy Estrada, heavily escorted by BJMP personnel, emerges from the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City after appearing for his arraignment on graft charges alongside former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan on June 2, 2026.<em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span> MANILA — Some members of the House prosecution team in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte believe that Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who is facing graft and plunder cases, should not be allowed to vote in the trial.</div><p>Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua said the eventual vote of the Senate impeachment court on the should be based on the number of senator-judges attending and participating in her trial.</p><p>“Kasi po, papaano ka boboto kung hindi ka naman nag-participate sa impeachment trial. So parang isang huwes, paano po siya magre-render ng kanyang verdict, whether guilty or not, kung hindi naman niya nakita ‘yung mga sinabi ng mga testigo,” he said in a media forum on Saturday.</p><p>(How can you vote if you didn&#x27;t participate in the impeachment trial? How can a judge render a verdict, whether guilty or not, if they did not witness the testimonies?)</p><p>Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro, who is lead prosecutor, added that the law states that a senator with a plunder case is automatically suspended.</p><p>“Nasa plunder law na yan nasa anti-graft and corrupt practices law na yan na kapag may kaso, suspended din ang public official,” she said in a DZMM interview on Friday.</p><p>(That is in the plunder law. That is in the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices law that a public official facing a case is suspended.)</p><p>Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co, panel spokesperson, added that the Senate rules of impeachment will put limitations to Estrada’s participation.</p><p>“The Senate Rules of Impeachment have not changed and absent session na isi-schedule before July 6, we have no reason to believe that hindi mag-prevail yung correct rules ng impeachment which puts limitations on Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s participation.”</p><p>Estrada has insisted that his participation in the impeachment trial is “far from settled.”</p><p>&quot;Those claiming otherwise display a troubling disregard for due process and the orderly administration of justice,” Estrada added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/12/jinggoy-estrada-says-participation-in-impeachment-trial-far-from-settled-1817">Jinggoy Estrada says participation in impeachment trial &#x27;far from settled&#x27;</a></div><p>The Senate impeachment court is scheduled to hold its pre-trial conference on June 18 where they will lay out the list of witnesses to give testimonies.</p><p>Chua added the legal team faces a tough call on whether to put Duterte on the witness stand since she would be subject to cross-examination.</p><p>Chua also added that not all four articles are necessary to present and only a single article is enough to secure a conviction.</p><p>“Depende po kasi kung sa tingin po namin, after two, one, two, or three articles, tingin namin, matibay na yung aming ebidensya, hindi na po namin kailangan tapusin ‘yung apat na articles,” he added.</p><p>(If we feel that after one, two, or three articles, there is strong evidence already, we might not need to present all four.)</p><div><a href="http://&#x27;Bantay Impeachment&#x27; citizen watch launched to monitor VP Sara Duterte trial">&#x27;Bantay Impeachment&#x27; citizen watch launched to monitor VP Sara Duterte trial</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/WdHOk9o4xh8?si=tt6ZHxAZgUNeVR2Y" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Some members of the House Prosecution in the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte believe that Senator Jinggoy Estrada should not be allowed to vote in the trial.</p>

Some members of the House Prosecution in the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte believe that Senator Jinggoy Estrada should not be allowed to vote in the trial.

House prosecution team raises objections to Jinggoy Estrada’s participation in impeachment trial

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House prosecution team raises objections to Jinggoy Estrada’s participation in impeachment trial

Allison Co,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 13, 2026 02:36 PM PHT

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Impeachment

Sara Duterte

Jinggoy Estrada

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