Jinggoy Estrada: Court foot-dragging on my bail plea

SENATOR Jose “Jinggoy” Ejercito Estrada expressed his frustration over  the “snail’s pace”  proceedings of his bail petition as the court again postponed its scheduled hearing  this Monday.

“I am saddened by the frequent delays in the bail application. Given that the court process on bail petition should be summary in nature, the case is really moving at a snail’s pace, sometimes it is not moving at all, it’s stationary,” Estrada said in a statement.

The senator has been charged with plunder, a non-bailable offense, and detained at Camp Crame in Quezon City in connection with  the “pork barrel” scam. Also charged and detained for the same offense  were Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.

Estrada’s lawyers noted that hearings have been canceled at least once a month beginning this year for various reasons.

He said his case and bail petition were supposed to be heard once a week, every Monday morning but for this year alone,  there have already been five cancellations —  January 19, February 23, March 30, April 13 and 27. There were numerous cancellations too last year.

“At one time [April 13], the hearing was cancelled because the prosecutors are attending their MCLE seminar. They could have scheduled it at some other time. Sayang ang araw na sana ay umuusad kahit paano ang kaso, may witness na nai-present at na-examine,” said the senator.

“I am really frustrated with what’s happening. Bukod sa mga nawawalang araw na hearing, mayroon pang mga pagkakataon na hindi naman handa ang mga prosecutors, paikot-ikot pa ang kanilang mga tanong. Minsan ay absent ang kanilang witness o kaya ay walang nakahandang ibang testigo na pwedeng iharap ng prosekusyon sakaling hindi payagan ng mga mahistrado na maiharap ang kanilang isang testigo. Talagang sinasadya nila na mapatagal at ma-delay ang pagdinig sa aking kaso,” he further said.

Estrada noted that the Supreme Court issued guidelines to enforce the rights of the accused to bail and to speedy trial wherein the trial proper is supposed to be terminated within 180 days and that the resolution for bail petition should customarily be much faster, as in many cases as prompt as 30 days.

The hearing for his bail petition, he said, is now in its 10^th month or approximately 300 days.

In lieu of the cancellations, the defense lawyers have repeatedly appealed in open court for additional hearing dates and hours since the hearings are being held for two hours only every Monday morning. The Fifth Division though has yet to act on these requests. AC