Manila, Philippines — Among the personalities and government officials linked in the flood control mess is former Department of Public Works and Highways secretary Manuel Bonoan, who is now facing multiple cases amid the controversy.
Bonoan is now facing non-bailable charges of plunder and a graft case, from which Senator Jinggoy Estrada is a co-accused.
Almost a month after he was issued with arrest orders over such cases, Bonoan is being submitted for consideration as a state witness in the main case.
For this matter, the prosecution is appealing for Bonoan to be excluded in the charge sheet for the graft case.
This motion was junked by the Sandiganbayan Second division in a Monday resolution.
Based on the resolution, Sandiganbayan noted that an amendment to the charges to exclude Bonoan will affect the defense of his co-accused Estrada.
The anti-graft court said that Estrada at Bonoan must prove that they have not conspired with each other to secure flood control projects in Bulacan, from where Estrada allegedly received P213.7million kickback.
It added that if Bonoan is withdrawn from the case, Estrada will be prejudiced, especially that he was already arraigned on June 4.
“The proposed amended information removes the only co-accused and purported conspirator of accused Estrada from the case, thereby modifying the theory of criminal liability from one predicated on conspiracy to one imposing individual liability on the part of accused Estrada.” — Sandiganbyan 2nd Division (Resolution, August 3, 2026)
The resolution clarifies that Bonoan may still be appealed to be a state witness at the appropriate stage of the proceedings.
JINGGOY ESTRADA ASKS SANDIGANBAYAN TO RECONSIDER PETITION TO FIX BAIL
Meanwhile, Estrada has filed a motion for reconsideration over his appeal to fix bail for the plunder case.
This is after the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division denied his initial motion for bail on June 29, as the court noted that the filing is premature.
On their motion, Estrada’s camp argued that he is not flight risk given that will still be an incumbent senator until his term ends in 2028.
Estrada cited previous travel clearances granted to him, despite pending graft and plunder cases, using this as a basis that he is not flight risk.
He added that he has complied with all the court-issued travel conditions and that he have returned to the Philippines to face the charges.
These, he says, are basis to allow him to fix bail.—Mia Layaguin, Eurotv News