MANILA, Philippines – Tinanggihan ng Sandiganbayan Fifth Division ang mosyon ni Senador Jinggoy Estrada na dumalo sa impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte dahil sa kakulangan ng merito.
Sa pitong pahinang resolusyon na may petsang Hulyo 9, 2026, sinabi ng Sandiganbayan na ang mosyon ni Estrada ay “bereft of merit.”
“This court cannot consider the accused-movant’s request to be in the nature of emergency of compelling temporary leave. While an impeachment trial is of paramount constitutional importance, its significance does not, by itself, provide a basis for the grant of his request,” saad sa resolusyon.
Nahaharap si Estrada sa non-bailable na P573-million plunder at two counts ng graft cases kaugnay sa maanomalyang flood control project.
“Overall, the trial period would span 31 weeks. Such a prolonged and recurring arrangement cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, be considered an emergency or compelling temporary leave from detention. Allowing the accused-movant to attend the impeachment trial would virtually make him a free man with all the privileges appurtenant to his position,” dagdag pa ng korte.
Anila, ang pagpayag kay Estrada na lumahok sa impeachment proceedings ay “make a mockery of the purposes of preventive detention.”
“To grant such request would substantially erode the very restraints that lawful detention necessarily entails,” dagdag ng Sandiganbayan. RNT/JGC
