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MANILA, Philippines — For the third time since 2001, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada has been ordered arrested by the Sandiganbayan for plunder, this time over alleged P573 million worth of kickbacks from flood control projects.
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) operatives carried out his arrest yesterday, which came after his press conference where he claimed multiple backroom negotiations for him to abandon the Senate majority bloc led by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano in exchange for the dropping of the charges against him.
“I will be proceeding now to the CIDG to voluntarily surrender myself,” Estrada told reporters.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, responsible for escorting Estrada alongside CIDG operatives, was also present at the press conference. CIDG operatives arrived at the Senate at about 2:38 p.m.
The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division – with Justice Geraldine Econg as presiding officer – on Friday had issued an arrest warrant against the senator for his graft case, for which he posted P90,000 bail for his temporary freedom.
He is set for arraignment today for his graft case, along with former public works chief Manuel Bonoan. One of Estrada’s co-accused, former public works assistant district engineer Denryl Cortuna, was spotted at the Sandiganbayan following the issuance of arrest warrant against them.
There was tension as Cayetano was seen sharply questioning and berating CIDG operatives when Estrada started walking from the press conference at around 4 p.m. to board his car that would take him to the CIDG headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Senators Imee Marcos and Camille Villar were seen in tears as Estrada left his press conference.
Estrada would be detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas, as confirmed by the Fifth Division Clerk of Court.
At Malacañang, Palace press officer Claire Castro said Estrada’s legal troubles have nothing to do with politics and the alignments in the Senate.
“From what I know, there was an investigation last year and his name was mentioned not only in the investigation by the Senate, but also by the House of Representatives,” Castro told reporters yesterday.
Castro said Estrada’s name was also in the partial report by former Senate Blue Ribbon committee chairman Sen. Panfilo Lacson.
“So it cannot be claimed that it is about forming the majority composed of 13 (senators). It cannot be claimed that cases should be dismissed just because he transfers to the minority. It would be unfair to all Filipino people if that is the reason for not pursuing the case,” she added.
To date, Estrada is the highest sitting official to be arrested over the flood control scandal.
His case is the fourth set of flood control-related charges to reach the Sandiganbayan after those of former lawmaker and now fugitive Zaldy Co in November 2025, contractor Sarah Discaya in December 2025 and former senator Ramon Revilla Jr. in January.
He was acquitted of two previous plunder cases – in relation to the jueteng scandal in 2001 and the pork barrel scam in 2014.
In February, a precautionary hold departure order was issued against Estrada and Bonoan, preventing them from leaving the country. Estrada is still facing 11 counts of graft over the pork barrel scam.
In an interim report released on Oct.29 last year, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) named Estrada as one of two sitting senators who should face charges of plunder and bribery over the flood control scandal.
The ICI found that Estrada had P355 million in “excess” flood control allocations, which he relayed to former public works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo and Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara.
Bonoan hospitalized
Meanwhile, Bonoan was rushed to the Philippine General Hospital after his blood pressure shot up to 192/100.
Remulla said Bonoan’s blood pressure rose while undergoing booking procedures at the headquarters of the CIDG at Camp Crame.
“He will remain there until he stabilizes and doctors determine that he is fit to face court proceedings.”
“He is under full security. Access to him is restricted,” the DILG chief said.
Remulla also made it clear that Estrada was arrested, disputing the senator’s claim that he surrendered. “He was read his rights there and acknowledged that he understood them,” Remulla said.
San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora called for respect for the judicial process.
“Let the court examine the evidence, determine the facts and render judgment based on the rule of law,” he said. “As a San Juaneño, I understand how emotional this issue can become. Nevertheless, this is a time to respect our institutions and allow the legal process to take its course.”
Politically motivated
At his press conference, Estrada branded the plunder and graft charges against him as politically motivated harassment, alleging that personalities he did not name had tried to use the plunder case to turn him against Cayetano’s majority.
“I’m now making this public. I had been offered many times to turn my back on the independent majority bloc in exchange for the junking of the cases, but I did not accept the offer,” he said.
“I will remain firmly with the majority bloc under the leadership of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. I will not give in to pressure, coercion, political maneuvering to abandon what I believe in. I will not yield to threats. I will not be intimidated. I will not be pressured into surrendering my independence of judgment,” he added.
No hiding behind Senate, no pay
Unlike fugitive Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, Estrada explicitly stated that he would not seek protective custody from the upper chamber nor would he continue to receive his salary.
“I am giving instructions to the Senate Secretary to put my salary on hold. It’s my personal choice to let the Filipinos see that I have no intention of profiting from the nation’s funds while in the process of clearing my name,” he pointed out.
He dismissed the plunder charges as “nonsense” as he argued that the Senate’s Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office had already informed the Office of the Ombudsman that there was no record of him doing insertions in the 2025 budget.
He added that even former Senate Blue Ribbon committee chairman Panfilo Lacson previously recognized this finding as significant evidence to counter the plunder allegations.
In a statement, Estrada said his legal team has filed an urgent omnibus motion ad cautelam, which seeks to either dismiss the cases against him or suspend the proceedings and have the cases remanded to the Office of the Ombudsman for reinvestigation and/or completion of the preliminary investigation.
Estrada said his lawyers previously filed separate pleadings before the anti-graft court which sought to consolidate the cases and that the issuance of arrest warrants against him be deferred.
“In anticipation of the possible issuance of an arrest warrant in the plunder case filed against me, I respectfully urge the Court to first give due consideration to the motions I have already filed and to uphold the principles of due process,” he said.
He said he believes he is entitled to avail himself of legal remedies, including the filing of a motion for reconsideration. — Mark Ernest Villeza, EJ Macababbad, Alexis Romero
