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Sen. Jinggoy Estrada arrives at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City on June 2, 2026, for his arraignment on graft charges. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Senator Jinggoy Estrada arrives at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City on June 2, 2026, for his arraignment on graft charges involving allegedly anomalous flood control projects before the court’s Second Division. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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FLOOD CONTROL- Estrada/ Bonoan

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><br/></div><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/178236233295620260602-jinggoy-estrada-arraignment-JC2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sen. Jinggoy Estrada arrives at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City on June 2, 2026, for his arraignment on graft charges. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATED) </strong>— Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has denied motions filed by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada to consolidate his plunder and graft cases pending before two divisions.</p><p>In a resolution promulgated on Wednesday, the court, chaired by Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeses, ruled that there is no basis to consolidate the cases in the court’s Second and Fifth divisions as they involve different transactions.</p><p>The Fifth Division said the graft case before it involves P350 million worth of alleged flood control projects in the National Capital Region and Oriental Mindoro, while the separate graft case pending before the Second Division involves a total of P213.75 million in flood control projects in Bulacan.</p><p>&quot;Should a consolidation or joint trial be effected and either or both anti-graft cases be tried jointly with the plunder case, they stand to be stalled for as long as the court conducts hearings on the bail petitions,&quot; the court said.</p><p>It said keeping them separate would allow proceedings on the cases that do not need bail hearings to go directly to trial.</p><p>In his motion, Estrada argued that the cases should be consolidated under the Second Division because it handles the case with the lowest docket number.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/1/jinggoy-estrada-to-stay-with-majority-won-t-get-salary-after-fresh-warrant-1610">&#x27;I will not yield to threats&#x27;: Jinggoy Estrada links plunder case to Senate allegiance </a></div><p>Since the allegations are &quot;hinged on substantially similar transactions,&quot; separate trials could risk conflicting findings and inconsistent rulings, Estrada’s motion read.</p><p>The prosecution argued that consolidating the cases under the &quot;lowest-docket rule&quot; would improperly transfer the principal and most serious charge of plunder to another division.</p><p>It further argued that the Fifth Division acquired jurisdiction after the case was assigned to it through the court&#x27;s impartial raffle system.</p><p>Prosecutors also noted that three of the accused—Department of Public Works and Highways-NCR officials Denryl Cortuna, Manny Bulusan, and Arturo Gonzales—are not included in the graft case pending in the Second Division.</p><p>Estrada, former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, and the three DPWH-NCR officials are facing graft and plunder charges over alleged budget insertions and a kickback scheme related to flood control projects. </p><p>Estrada was arrested on June 1 after his voluntary surrender for his non-bailable plunder case related to the flood control controversy. </p><p>The anti-graft court issued a warrant for Estrada&#x27;s arrest just days after he posted bail for his separate graft case. </p><p>Estrada is detained at the Quezon City Jail in Payatas.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/16/sandiganbayan-orders-jinggoy-estrada-s-suspension-1555">Sandiganbayan places Estrada under 90-day preventive suspension</a></div><div><br/></div><div><em><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6khEcveGeEU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></em><br/></div><div><br/></div><div> </div>

<p>Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has denied motions filed by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada to consolidate his plunder and graft cases pending before two divisions.</p>

Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has denied motions filed by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada to consolidate his plunder and graft cases pending before two divisions.

Sandiganbayan denies Jinggoy Estrada motion to consolidate plunder, graft cases

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Sandiganbayan denies Jinggoy Estrada motion to consolidate plunder, graft cases

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 25, 2026 12:42 PM PHT

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Updated June 25, 2026 04:17 PM PHT

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Jinggoy Estrada

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