The Sandiganbayan issues rulings involving detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s attempt to attend the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. According to multiple reports, the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division denied Estrada’s motion seeking permission to leave detention and participate in the impeachment proceedings, citing that the request lacked merit. Rappler and GMA News Online also report that the Fifth Division’s decision is tied to the senator’s ongoing suspension and status in his pending graft case.
In a separate procedural development, the Sandiganbayan Second Division granted Estrada’s bid to withdraw a motion intended to allow him to participate in the impeachment trial. The Inquirer reports that Estrada’s camp informed the Second Division that the motion was meant to be filed before the Fifth Division, which handles his plunder case, leading to the withdrawal. Inquirer also reports that the broader legal issues affect his other graft case actions and that Estrada has denied the allegations, including a plunder charge over alleged kickbacks linked to 2025 flood control projects.
Senate lawmaker Panfilo Lacson said the denial may reduce the likelihood of the impeachment court acting on proposals to coordinate with the Sandiganbayan.
