Senator Estrada jailed over 573 million plunder

Senator Jinggoy Estrada and four co-accused were admitted to the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas on Monday after surrendering to authorities on arrest warrants issued by the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court. They face non-bailable plunder charges related to alleged corruption in flood control projects.

The Sandiganbayan's Fifth Division ordered the arrest of Estrada, former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, and former department engineers Denryl Caesar Cortuna, Manny Bulusan, and Arturo Gonzales Jr. The charges stem from alleged illegal budget insertions and the disbursement of over 573 million pesos in purported kickbacks connected to Department of Public Works and Highways infrastructure projects.

Estrada surrendered to a Philippine National Police team at the Senate. Before surrendering, he held a press conference where he denied the allegations, stating he would face the charges head-on and claiming the case threatened the independence of the Senate. Bonoan and one other co-accused surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Crame, while two others surrendered directly to the Sandiganbayan.

According to the Department of the Interior and Local...