Estrada’s plunder case to see testimony of whistleblowers, Bonoan

MANILA, Philippines — The plunder case of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in Sandiganbayan Fifth Division will see the testimony of “whistleblowers” and former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) chief Manuel Bonoan, his former co-accused in this non-bailable charge.

Special prosecutors made this known Wednesday during the pre-trial proceeding of Estrada and his three remaining co-accused, who are former DPWH officials in Metro Manila, namely former assistant district engineer Denryl Caesar Cortuna and former district engineers Manny Bulusan and Arturo Gonzales Jr. 

READ: Estrada asks court to reconsider dropping of Bonoan in plunder, graft cases

Estrada faced the non-bailable charge for allegedly receiving kickbacks worth P573 million purportedly from DPWH projects for fiscal year 2025.

Initially, Bonoan was among the co-accused in this case, but the court granted special prosecutors’ move to drop his charges as part of the move to admit him as a state witness.

Estrada attended the pretrial proceeding via teleconferencing, and he signed his pretrial order in detention at the New Quezon City Jail in Barangay Payatas.

During the proceeding, Associate Justice Gener Gito said the court sets the first bail hearing on Oct. 20.

READ: Jinggoy Estrada suspended anew for plunder

“We will follow the guidelines of continuous trial,” Gito said, noting that the bail petition should be resolved 30 days from the start of the proceedings.

Gito also reminded the prosecution to present their best witnesses during the bail hearing.

“We will be presenting 21 witnesses, your honor, consisting of whistleblowers,” said assistant special prosecutor Darlene Vivas.

Vivas said the prosecution will present on Oct. 20 Attorney Ivan Bernard Samson, an agent of the National Bureau of Investigation, as their first witness.

According to her, also among the witnesses testifying on bail hearing are human resources (HR) representatives from DPWH Metro Manila and a Senate HR employee. 

Vivas also told the court that Bonoan would testify, although it was not immediately clear if his testimony will be heard during the bail hearing or the main trial of the case.

Gito said the Fifth Division set the main trial of this case starting on Nov. 24.

On Monday, the Fifth Division ordered the 90-day suspension of Estrada as senator in line with Republic Act No 7080 or the Anti-Plunder Act’s provision for preventive suspension of any official facing this case. /jpv