The Sandiganbayan on Tuesday denied the request for furlough of detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada to attend the wake of the “Master Showman” German “Kuya Germs” Moreno.
In a resolution, the anti-graft court Fifth Division said it found no merit in Estrada’s motion for a three-hour furlough to go to the wake on Jan. 12.
The court said it has to be consistent with its previous rulings denying Estrada’s earlier requests for furlough.
“The motion is bereft of merit. As rightly pointed out by the prosecution, this request is similar in nature with the previously filed motion of accused-movant, which this Court did not allow,” the court said.
It also cited the court’s latest denial of Estrada’s bail from plunder, which means his rights should be limited as he faces trial
READ: Sandigan denies Jinggoy bail plea
“(Estrada), being a detention prisoner, cannot be accorded the full enjoyment of his civil or political rights as a necessary consequence of his detention… Confinement restrains the power of locomotion or actual physical movement,” the court said.
It added that to grant Estrada’s furlough would be tantamount to mocking the justice system.
“Suffice it to state that to allow the accused-movant to leave his detention cell, especially at this time when the Court already denied his petition for bail, will not only set a bad precedent but will likewise be regarded as a mockery of the administration of justice,” the court said.
State prosecutors earlier opposed Estrada’s furlough bid, citing the recent denial of Estrada’s bail petition as a compelling reason to junk his motion.
READ: Revilla, Estrada bids to attend Kuya Germs’ wake opposed
The prosecution likewise cited previous court rulings denying Estrada’s furlough to celebrate his birthday in Mass, visit the cemetery during All Saint’s Day, and celebrate Christmas and New Year with his family.
The prosecution added that Estrada may even hold hostage his escorts from the Philippine National Police (PNP) so that he could escape detention as he faces plunder.
“Kuya Germs is a well-known personality and it is to be expected that people will crowd his wake. Accordingly, to grant accused Estrada his sought-for-furlough will make it possible for him to hold the people therein, including his PNP escorts, hostage to effect escape, considering the power and influence he wields,” the prosecution said.
While the court had denied Estrada’s earlier furloughs, it granted one in March 2015 for him to attend the graduation rites of his son Julian.
READ: Sandigan allows Jinggoy Estrada to attend son’s graduation
Earlier in the day, the court also denied the furlough of Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. to attend the wake.
The anti-graft court First Division said Revilla’s request to attend the wake is not a special circumstance to be allowed by the court, contrary to when he was allowed to visit his son Jolo who was then in the hospital due to a self-sustained gunshot wound.
READ: Sandiganbayan denies Revilla’s furlough to attend Kuya Germs’ wake
Kuya Germs has been credited with developing and producing some of the country’s biggest stars through his former TV show “That’s Entertainment.’’ He was also host of the popular program ‘‘Walang Tulugan.’’
In his motion, Revilla asked the court’s nod to leave his detention for five hours from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. to attend Moreno’s wake on Jan. 12 at Mt. Carmel Church, New Manila, Quezon City; or on Jan. 13 at the GMA Network Center, Timog Avenue, Quezon city.
He said Moreno is a “mentor, close friend, and second father,” and a godparent in their marriage. Revilla and his wife Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado are actors in the movie and television industry.
Meanwhile, Estrada asked the court for a three-hour furlough on Jan. 12 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. to attend the wake at Mt. Carmel Church, Quezon City.
Estrada said he as a movie actor wanted to pay his final respects to Moreno.
READ: Revilla, Estrada ask court’s nod to attend wake of Kuya Germs
Estrada and Revilla are detained for plunder at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center. Estrada is accused of receiving P183 million in kickbacks from accused pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.
Meanwhile, Revilla is accused of accumulating P242 million in kickbacks. Both of them had been denied bail by the Sandiganbayan.
The pork barrel scam is an alleged scheme of using legislators’ Priority Development Assistance Funds in ghost projects to earn kickbacks. CDG