MANILA, Philippines – Ibinasura ng Korte Suprema nitong Miyerkules, Oktubre 29 ang mga petisyon na inihain ni Senador Jinggoy Estrada na may kaugnayan sa mga kasong graft at plunder laban sa kanya sa Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
Ibinasura ng SC ang tatlong petitions of certiorari sa plunder cases sa pagiging “moot and academic,” at isa pang petition of certiorari para naman sa graft cases.
“The Court took judicial notice of the Sandiganbayan Decision, dated January 19, 2024, acquitting Senator Estrada of the plunder charges, which rendered the said Petitions moot and academic,” sinabi ng SC.
“The Court, likewise, dismissed Senator Estrada’s Petitions for Certiorari in G.R. Nos. 228374-84, the graft cases, rejecting Senator Estrada’s contention that his graft charges under Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 are ‘deemed absorbed’ by his plunder charges under Republic Act No. 7080 (Anti-Plunder Law),” dagdag pa.
Ipinunto ng SC na una nang nakitaan ng Ombudsman ng probable cause to indict sina Estrada, businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, at iba pang indibidwal sa Sandiganbayan para sa plunder at 11 counts sa paglabag sa Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act.
Idineklara nitong ang component act ng “giving any private party any unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference cannot be absorbed by the predicate criminal acts under Section 1(d)(2) and (6) of the Anti-Plunder Law,” at iginiit na ang dalawang opensa ay nagpaparusa sa magkaibang pagkakamali.
Sinabi ng SC na sa ilalim ng Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, “the benefit or advantage is given to a private individual separate from the public officer.”
Samantala, sa ilalim naman ng Anti-Plunder Law, “the public officer himself who directly benefits by receiving kickbacks or unjustly enriching himself through a combination or series of overt acts.”
“The only exception to this rule is when the Information alleging a violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 names the same public officer, acting in a private capacity, as the beneficiary of the unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference,” ayon sa SC.
“This is so because the primary beneficiary of both Plunder and Graft now pertains to only one and the same person,” dagdag pa.
Ipinaliwanag ng SC na ang absorption principle ay hindi maaaring gamitin sa graft at plunder maliban sa mga rare na kaso kung saan ang parehong public official ay siyang nagbigay at tumanggap din.
Ngayong buwan, kinatigan ng Sandiganbayan ang naunang ruling na ibasura ang demurrer to evidence at motion to dismiss ni Estrada para sa 11 counts ng graft na may kaugnayan sa umano’y hindi tamang disbursement ng P183 milyon na PDAF ng senador sa non-government entities ng businesswoman na si Janet Napoles. RNT/JGC
