MANILA, Philippines — The Fifth Division of the Sandiganbayan on Monday issued an arrest warrant against Senator Jinggoy Estrada and four co-accused in connection with plunder and graft charges arising from alleged irregularities in 2025 flood control projects.
After the court issued the warrant, Estrada surrendered to agents of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group following a press conference at the Senate.
The court also ordered the arrest of former Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan and former NCR engineering officials Denryl Caesar Cortuna, Manny Bulusan and Arturo Gonzales Jr..
Estrada’s legal team earlier filed an omnibus motion seeking to stop the issuance of the plunder arrest warrant. The court proceeded with the order.
Plunder is a non-bailable offense punishable by life imprisonment. Courts may grant bail only if they determine that the evidence of guilt is not strong.
At the Senate, Estrada said he would surrender to authorities and defend himself in court rather than seek Senate custody.
“I am prepared to defend myself in court and will not hide behind this institution to avoid the process,” he said.
Estrada also alleged that unnamed individuals had approached him several times with offers to have the cases dismissed in exchange for leaving the majority bloc led by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. He said he rejected the proposals and remained with the bloc.
Responding to the allegation, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said accountability and politics should not be mixed and that no one could make decisions on behalf of the Ombudsman regarding pending cases.
During the arrest, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla accompanied PNP-CIDG personnel who arrived at the Senate. Cayetano objected to carrying out the arrest inside the Senate building and said authorities should respect the institution.
Following his arrest, Estrada was committed to the New Quezon City Jail in Barangay Payatas, according to the clerk of court of the Fifth Division.
The charges stem from allegations filed by the Ombudsman that Estrada received up to P573 million in kickbacks from allocations for flood control projects in 2025. Estrada denied the accusations and said Senate records do not show that he inserted funds into the national budget.
On Friday, the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division issued a separate arrest warrant against Estrada and Bonoan in a bailable graft case. Both posted bail of P90,000 and were released.
Estrada and Bonoan are scheduled for arraignment before the Second Division on June 2, while Estrada, Bonoan, Cortuna, Bulusan and Gonzales are set to be arraigned before the Fifth Division on June 4.