Anti-corruption group reiterates call to revoke Jinggoy’s bail
After the Supreme Court (SC) allowed the use of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMCL) report in court hearings, an anti-corruption group has reiterated its call to revoke the bail posted by former Senator Jinggoy Estrada.
The Filipinos Opposed to Corruption and Unjust System (FOCUS) said in a letter addressed to Ombudsman Samuel Martires on Wednesday that the SC ruling bolsters the case against Estrada who is accused of plunder, which is an additional reason to recall his temporary liberty.
“This update is considered a breakthrough, in this case, considering that the said report will bolster the case of the prosecution against Estrada and his cohorts,” FOCUS said.
The high court on Monday denied the petition of Estrada and wife, Precy Ejercito, to overturn the Sandiganbayan’s decision on February 2, 2015, to include the AMLC reports in his plunder case.
READ: SC allows AMLC report in Jinggoy Estrada plunder trial
According to FOCUS, Estrada cannot post bail because he had been arrested in previous occasions for the same crime.
“Also, FOCUS would like to reiterate that this is not the first time that Estrada was arrested for plunder,” the group reiterated
“In fact, as can be recalled, he was first arrested and detained last 2001 at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, for his alleged conspiracy with his father and then president Joseph Ejercito Estrada, in amassing billions of pesos in ill-gotten wealth relating to jueteng operations and tobacco excise tax kickbacks,” the group added.
The former senator, who was recently allowed to travel to Singapore, posted a P1.33-million bail before the Sandiganbayan for his provisional freedom after three years of incarceration.
Last Thursday, FOCUS also sent a letter to Martires about the issue, claiming that the crime which Estrada allegedly committed is not a bailable offense because it could be punishable by death penalty or reclusion perpertua.
They also disputed the decision by Sandigabayan that Estrada is not the supposed mastermind of the crime.
Estrada, along with former Senators Ramon Revilla Jr. and Juan Ponce Enrile, was arrested in 2014 for allegedly allocating part of their pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to bogus non-government organizations of pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles. /ee
READ: Anti-corruption group asks Ombudsman to review Jinggoy’s bail
