Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s legal situation is currently in the hands of the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division, which will decide whether to give due course to his motions seeking judicial determination of probable cause regarding the P573 million plunder case filed against him.Estrada, along with former DPWH officials including Manuel Bonoan, Denryl Caesar Cortuna, Manuel Bulusan, and Arturo Gonzales Jr., faces allegations of receiving kickbacks from flood control projects.

Estrada and Bonoan previously secured provisional freedom by posting P90,000 bail for a related graft case after the Sandiganbayan Second Division issued arrest warrants.

Estrada’s legal team argues that the filing of an Information does not automatically justify arrest, claiming there is no factual basis linking him directly to the projects.They emphasize that the General Appropriations Act presumes legality, and mere inclusion of projects does not indicate criminal involvement.Estrada is not considered a flight risk as he resides in the Philippines with his family and holds only Filipino citizenship.The Ombudsman alleges that Estrada received P573.75 million in kickbacks, including P360 million from National Capital Region and Occidental Mindoro projects and P213.75 million from Bulacan projects, supposedly facilitated through coordination with other DPWH officials.The Sandiganbayan’s decision will determine whether Estrada will face immediate custody or continue with provisional freedom while the case proceeds.