Philippines Senator Jinggoy Estrada denied graft case dismissal and barred from VP impeachment trial

The Philippines' anti‑graft court, the Sandiganbayan, denied Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s motion to quash a graft case and rejected his request to suspend the proceedings. The Second Division said his motion “lacks merit” and offered no new evidence, upholding the July 10 resolution that the case remains active.

In a separate ruling, the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division refused Estrada’s petition to participate as a senator‑judge in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, stating the request was not an “emergency or compelling” reason. The court also noted that while the impeachment is of “paramount constitutional importance,” it does not justify temporary leave from detention.

Estrada has been detained since 1 June on a non‑bailable plunder charge linked to alleged kickbacks from flood‑control projects in Metro Manila, Oriental Mindoro and Bulacan, amounting to roughly ₱350 million and ₱213 million respectively. A 90‑day suspension from his Senate post was also imposed.