Jamaine Punzalan

Sen. 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

Article (news)

FLOOD CONTROL- Estrada/ Bonoan

Kaxandra Salonga

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/178842278821120260602-jinggoy-estrada-arraignment-JC1.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 involving allegedly anomalous flood control projects before the court&rsquo;s Second Division. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News&nbsp;</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA &mdash; The Sandiganbayan denied Thursday the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/28/sandiganbayan-denies-estrada-s-bid-to-fix-bail-for-plunder-1847">motion for reconsideration</a> filed by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada seeking to fix bail without a prior hearing in his plunder case over the alleged flood control kickback scheme.</p><p>In a resolution penned by Associate Justice Gener Gito, the anti-graft court&rsquo;s Fifth Division ruled that determining if the evidence of guilt is strong through a bail hearing was an indispensable prerequisite before bail could be granted for an offense punishable by reclusion perpetua.</p><p>&quot;The court cannot place the cart before the horse&hellip; [it] cannot first fix the amount of bail and thereby effectively recognize accused Estrada&#39;s entitlement to provisional liberty before undertaking the very inquiry that determines whether he may be admitted to bail in the first place,&rdquo; the resolution read.</p><div><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/Gw9xnfeNmQ8?&wmode=opaque&rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>Estrada argued in his Aug. 3 motion that he posed no risk of flight. He cited his incumbency as a senator, public service record, compliance with past travel conditions, and consistent returns to the Philippines.</div><p>However, the court noted that an accused&rsquo;s likelihood of flight was only one factor to consider in such cases.</p><p>&quot;The constitutional query in a case involving an offense punishable by reclusion perpetua is not confined to whether the accused is likely to flee,&quot; the court said.&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;It principally requires a judicial determination of whether the evidence of guilt is strong,&rdquo; it added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/9/3/sandiganbayan-enters-not-guilty-plea-for-estrada-over-plunder-graft-cases-1141">Sandiganbayan enters not guilty plea for Estrada over plunder, graft cases</a></div><p>The court dismissed Estrada&rsquo;s invocation of <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/4/timeline-enrile-s-vindication-after-10-year-pork-barrel-scam-case-1028">Enrile v. Sandiganbayan</a>. It said the landmark ruling concerned &ldquo;exceptional circumstances involving advanced age, frail health, or other compelling humanitarian consideration&rdquo; not present in Estrada&rsquo;s case.</p><p>It also clarified that its ruling did not mean Estrada was barred from petitioning for bail.</p><p>&quot;Until a hearing determines that the evidence of guilt is not strong, the court has no basis to set a bail amount,&quot; the court said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/9/1/sandiganbayan-grants-bid-to-discharge-bonoan-as-estrada-s-co-accused-in-plunder-graft-2113">Sandiganbayan grants prosecution&#39;s bid to discharge Bonoan as Estrada&#39;s co-accused in plunder, graft</a></div><div><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></div>

<p>The Sandiganbayan denied Thursday the motion for reconsideration filed by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada seeking to fix bail without a prior hearing in his plunder case over the alleged flood control kickback scheme.</p>

The Sandiganbayan denied Thursday the motion for reconsideration filed by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada seeking to fix bail without a prior hearing in his plunder case over the alleged flood control kickback scheme.

Sandiganbayan denies anew Estrada’s bid to fix bail

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Sandiganbayan denies anew Estrada’s bid to fix bail

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 03, 2026 04:09 PM PHT

Read More:

Sandiganbayan

Estrada

plunder

kickback

flood control

Bonoan

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