Kinasuhan sa Sandiganbayan si Sen. Jinggoy Estrada ng plunder at graft kaugnay ng umano’y irregular insertions sa 2025 national budget.
Ito na ang ikatlong plunder case laban kay Estrada, ang parehong krimen na dalawang beses na niyang nalusutan sa korte.
Ayon sa Office of the Ombudsman, tumanggap umano si Estrada ng P573 million kickbacks na “systematically delivered” sa kanya, batay kay Assistant Ombudsman Jose Dominic “Mico” Clavano IV.
“Our case is built on solid, immovable evidence,” ani Clavano sa statement. “We will have one shot to get these cases right. The Filipino people need to see justice.”
Kasama ring kinasuhan ng plunder at graft sina former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, former Department of Public Works and Highways National Capital Region assistant district engineer Denryl Caesar Cortuna, at former district engineers Manny Bulusan at Arturo Gonzales Jr.
Ayon kay Clavano, sangkot umano ang mga akusado sa “intricate mechanism involving illegal budgetary insertions and project allocations” sa DPWH infrastructure portfolio para sa fiscal year 2025.
Ibinasura naman ang kaso laban sa yumaong former Public Works Undersecretary Maria Catalina “Cathy” Cabral. Hindi rin isinama sina Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, former NCR Regional Director Gerard Opulencia, at former Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara matapos silang tanggapin sa Witness Protection Program ng Department of Justice.
Sa panig ni Estrada, sinabi niyang gagamitin nila ng kanyang mga abogado ang lahat ng legal na paraan para kontrahin ang kaso.
“Currently, my lawyers are preparing the appropriate steps to expose the irregularities in the process, as well as the evidence that was not given sufficient weight and consideration,” ani Estrada.
Giit niya, hindi siya nabigyan ng pagkakataong pag-aralan ang DOJ resolution na nagrekomenda ng kaso sa Ombudsman para makapaghain sana ng paliwanag o motion for reconsideration. Aniya, inihain ng Ombudsman ang kaso wala pang isang linggo matapos matanggap ang rekomendasyon ng DOJ.
“If this is the price that I have to pay for standing by my principles and for what I believe in, then so be it,” sabi ni Estrada.
“I will continue my search for the truth and to defend my name in the right forum according to law,” dagdag niya.
Paulit-ulit ding binanggit ng senador ang findings ng Senate Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office na walang record ng budget insertions mula sa kanya sa 2025 national budget.
Pero ayon kay Clavano, kinilala ng Ombudsman ang certificate ngunit hindi umano nito sakop ang lahat ng yugto ng budget process.
“However, this certificate does not capture all stages of the budgetary process, wherein insertions may be made in a layered method,” ani Clavano.
Ayon sa Ombudsman evaluation, may public funds umanong ipinasok sa infrastructure projects kapalit ng fixed commissions o kickbacks.
“Case records point to an accumulated sum of illicit payouts amounting to an aggregate sum of over P573 million, which were systematically delivered to the principal respondent, Senator Jinggoy Estrada,” sabi ni Clavano.
Nauna nang sinabi ni Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla na mahirap makapagpa-convict sa plunder sa ilalim ng kasalukuyang jurisprudence. Pero sinabi niyang kaya pa ring buuin ang kaso.
“But, upon thinking about it again, and looking at the body of law that we have, we really can make a case for plunder,” ani Remulla.
Sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 7080, o Anti-Plunder Act, kailangang mapatunayan na ang public official ay nakaipon ng hindi bababa sa P50 million ill-gotten wealth sa pamamagitan ng serye ng criminal acts. Ang parusa ay hanggang 40 taong pagkakakulong. /Bistado