WHAT WENT BEFORE: Jinggoy Estrada’s pork barrel scam case
Former Sen. Jose Jinggoy Estrada interviewed by the media right after undergoing process for release at the Sandiganbayan 5th Division Clerk of Court. INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON
On Jan. 7, 2016, the Sandiganbayan threw out the petition for bail of former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in his plunder case involving his alleged role in the P10-billion pork barrel scam.
In its resolution, the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division gave credence to the testimonies of principal whistle-blower Benhur Luy, socialite Ruby Tuason and other state witnesses who admitted participating in the elaborate scam perpetrated by the fake nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) controlled by businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.
It said the Office of the Ombudsman was able to provide “strong evidence of guilt” against Estrada in support of its claim that he should be held liable for graft and plunder for receiving P183 million in kickbacks from Napoles.
“That the whistle-blowers were told of how Senator Estrada’s PDAF was allocated is relevant in their testimony on how the bogus NGOs operated as they were all part of the grand scheme,” the court said.
“Wherefore, the motion for bail filed by … Estrada is denied after finding that the prosecution presented a strong evidence of guilt against him,” it said.
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