Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

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/1784090584523Screen Shot 2026-07-15 at 6.49.33 AM (7).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Ombudsman earlier filed a motion to discharge former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan from Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s plunder and graft cases to make him a state witness. <em>ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span>MANILA — The prosecution’s motion to amend the information to discharge former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan from Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s plunder and graft cases over the alleged flood control kickback scheme has been deemed submitted for resolution.</div><p>The Ombudsman earlier filed a motion to discharge Bonoan to make him a state witness.</p><p>The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division chaired by Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeses held a clarificatory hearing on Wednesday, July 15. He was joined by Associate Justices Maryann Corpus-Mañalac and Gener Gito.</p><p>During the hearing, the justices inquired about the agreement between the Ombudsman and Bonoan.</p><p>Gito noted that the prosecution cannot demand the motion to amend &quot;as a matter of right&quot; from the court and that, assuming the motion would be granted, the court must justify its reason in granting such motion.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/14/estrada-s-camp-opposes-bid-to-drop-bonoan-from-graft-charge-1853">Estrada’s camp opposes bid to drop Bonoan from graft charge over flood control kickback scheme</a></div><p>The justices also quizzed the prosecution headed by Assistant State Prosecutor III Reza Casila-Derayunan whether or not the formal amendment would prejudice the rights of the accused.</p><p>This, as Trespeses said Estrada and other co-accused Denryl Cortuna, Manny Bulusan and Arturo Gonzales Jr. are in unison that the amendment would be &quot;prejudicial&quot; to them.</p><p>For one, Cortuna’s counsel alleged that changing the text of the information from &quot;Estrada and Bonoan&quot; to &quot;Estrada and or through Bonoan&quot; can lead prosecution to &quot;have different routes of theories&quot; against the arraigned accused.</p><p>“We could be facing several – we could be defending several theories with the prosecution’s proposed amendments,” the counsel said.</p><p>“Don’t you think that’s’ speculative? At this point, at this time? We’re just talking of the amendment,” Corpus-Mañalac argued.</p><p>“If Estrada and Bonoan conspired, and now that they are proposing the amendment of the information by excluding Bonoan, how will that affect your client if that is your theory?” the associate justice further asked.</p><p>“The information right now, your honor, needs two testimonies from Bonoan and Estrada,” the counsel replied, further arguing that they may have to change their defense depending on how the prosecution will present Bonoan’s testimony.</p><p>Corpus-Mañalac asked if Bonoan will be placed under the Witness Protection Program, Casila-Derayunan said it would depend on the former secretary as he needs to apply first.</p><p>In a chance interview after the hearing, the state prosecutor said they remain hopeful when asked if the prosecution is confident that the anti-graft court will grant their motion.</p><p>“We remain steadfast in our position and we are hoping for the best because we are going to utilize Bonoan as our witness, so we need to have him excluded from the information,” Casila-Derayunan told reporters, underscoring that the amendment is merely formal and not substantial and &quot;does not cause prejudice to the others.&quot;</p><p>Both Estrada and Bonoan’s arraignment before the anti-graft court’s fifth division will proceed as scheduled on July 28.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES</strong></div><div><strong><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/YReKjaFwrCM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/7rscNRfvdxU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The Ombudsman earlier filed a motion to discharge former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan from Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s plunder and graft cases to make him a state witness.</p>

The Ombudsman earlier filed a motion to discharge former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan from Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s plunder and graft cases to make him a state witness.

Motion to discharge Bonoan from Estrada cases up for resolution

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Motion to discharge Bonoan from Estrada cases up for resolution

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 15, 2026 12:47 PM PHT

Read More:

Sandiganbayan

Manuel Bonoan

Jinggoy Estrada

Flood Control

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