Sen. Jinggoy Estrada arrives at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City for his arraignment on graft charges on Tuesday (June 2, 2026), which was reset to June 4 after co-accused former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan sought a postponement due to health concerns. (PNA photo by Robert Alfiler)
The Sandiganbayan entered a not guilty plea for Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada on Thursday after he declined to enter one himself in the graft and plunder case involving an alleged Php 573.75-million kickback scheme.
Estrada appeared before the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division on crutches following a left knee injury. Associate Justice Zaldy Trespesses, the division chairperson, entered the plea on his behalf after Estrada waived the reading of the charges and confirmed that he understood the implications of doing so.
Prosecutors accuse Estrada and several former Department of Public Works and Highways officials of amassing Php 573.75 million in alleged kickbacks from infrastructure and flood control projects in Metro Manila, Bulacan and Occidental Mindoro that were included in the 2025 national budget.
Estrada’s lawyers are also maintaining a petition filed on July 29 seeking bail on the plunder charge. Plunder is generally non-bailable when the evidence of guilt is strong, leaving the court to determine whether the prosecution’s evidence meets that threshold.
The senator is charged alongside former South Manila District Engineering Office chief Manny Bulusan, former Quezon City First District Engineering Office chief Arturo Gonzales Jr. and former North Manila district engineering office assistant chief Denryl Caesar Cortuna.
The four were placed under government custody and committed to the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas on June 1. Bulusan, Gonzales and Cortuna entered not guilty pleas on June 4, while Estrada’s arraignment was delayed as the court dealt with several pending motions.
Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan was initially included among the accused but was removed from the case this week after the Fifth Division granted the prosecution’s request to exclude him. The Ombudsman is seeking to use Bonoan as a state witness in other cases linked to the flood control corruption controversy.
Bonoan’s lawyer also asked the Sandiganbayan on Thursday to issue an order for his release following his exclusion from the charges. He had been under hospital detention at the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame since June because of health conditions.
With Estrada’s arraignment completed, the criminal proceedings move to the next stage, while his petition for bail remains a key issue before the court. A preliminary conference has been set for Sept. 11.