Sandiganbayan denies Jinggoy Estrada’s request to attend impeachment trial

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Tthe 5th Division says the senator's motion lacked merit, also noting Estrada's ongoing suspension due to his graft case

MANILA, Philippines – The 5th Division of the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan thumbed down Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s bid to attend the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

“Accordingly, the Motion to Allow Accused Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada to Attend the Senate Impeachment Trial of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio dated June 29, 2026 of accused Senator Jose ‘Jinggoy’ P. Ejercito Estrada is denied for lack of merit,” the seven-page resolution penned by Associate Justice Maryann Corpus Mañalac said.

Estrada anchored his motion on the following grounds:

• Conviction of an impeachable officer requires ‘the concurrence of two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate’ under Article XI, Section 3(6) of the 1987 Constitution
• His participation as a senator-judge “constitutes a compelling reason that justifies a temporary leave from detention.”

However, the 5th Division said the senator’s motion lacked merit. It also noted Estrada’s ongoing suspension due to his graft case.

“Such an order of suspension pendente lite is another source from which the prohibition against the performance of the functions of his office is derived, albeit limited in duration, separate and distinct from his status as a detention prisoner,” the July 9 resolution said.

Section 13 of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, mandates that an incumbent public officer shall be suspended if he/she is facing a graft case.

Estrada, along with Department of Public Works and Highways, are facing plunder and two counts of graft over their alleged involvement in irregular budget insertions related to flood control. The Office of the Ombudsman said Estrada allegedly received P573 million from the scheme.

The senator has been detained since June after his arrest. This is the third time that Estrada has faced a plunder case.

In 2001, he faced a plunder charge with his father after they were accused of conspiring with others to acquire alleged ill-gotten wealth amounting to P4 billion. This allegedly came from jueteng operations, kickbacks from tobacco excise taxes, and stock manipulation.

Over a decade later, in April 2014, Estrada was again charged with plunder by the Ombudsman, which accused him of collecting P183 million in pork barrel kickbacks. He was also charged with 11 counts of graft.