Jinggoy Estrada Stopped From Leaving PH
JINGGOY ESTRADA – Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s much-anticipated holiday vacation was put on hold after government prosecutors opposed his request to travel abroad.
Government prosecutors have opposed Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s request to travel abroad during the Christmas and New Year holidays, citing his unresolved legal cases.
During a recent hearing at the Sandiganbayan, state prosecutors stressed that Estrada still has a pending graft case, in addition to being among those implicated in allegedly anomalous flood-control projects. Because of these ongoing issues, the prosecution urged the anti-graft court to deny the senator’s plans to leave the country.
According to documents presented in the hearing, Estrada sought permission to travel to Japan from December 26 to December 31. He also asked to visit Norway, Iceland, and Austria from January 5 to 15 next year. These trips, he said, were scheduled for personal reasons and had already been plotted out in his itinerary.
Estrada attended the court proceedings through video conferencing.
Associate Justice Gener Gito instructed Estrada to submit all required documents related to his planned travels, including his full itinerary, hotel bookings, and travel authority. The court emphasized that such information is necessary before any consideration can be given to his request, given his pending legal matters.
During the hearing, Estrada denied the accusations made by former DPWH–Bulacan 1st District Engineer Henry Alcantara, who previously claimed that the senator received a “kickback” from flood-control projects in Bulacan. Estrada insisted that the allegations were baseless and maintained that he had no involvement in any anomalous transactions linked to the projects.
The prosecution, however, argued that allowing Estrada to travel abroad while his cases remain unresolved could pose risks, including the possibility of evasion. They pointed out that the courts traditionally impose strict requirements on public officials facing charges, particularly when travel outside the country is involved.
The Sandiganbayan has yet to hand down a ruling on Estrada’s travel request. Until the court issues a final decision, the senator’s year-end trips to Japan and several European destinations remain uncertain.