Plunder and graft charges against Senator Jinggoy Estrada, former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan and other local public works engineering officials were before the Sandiganbayan on Thursday.

In a press briefing, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said the charges were filed by the Office of the Ombudsman after the National Investigation (NBI), Department of Justice (DOJ) and Bid Rigging Task Force forwarded "a rigorous and independent evaluation of the investigation."

"Our office found probable cause to indict the principal respondents for plunder under Republic Act 7080 and violations of Section three of the Anti-Graft Practices Act under Republic Act number 3019," he said.

"The cases stem from an intricate mechanism involving illegal budgetary insertions and project allocations within the DPWH infrastructure portfolio for fiscal year 2025. Our evaluation shows that substantial public funds were deliberately funneled into designated infrastructure projects in exchange for predetermined commission fees or kickbacks," he said.

"Case records point to an accumulated sum of illicit payouts amounting to an aggregate sum of over 573 million pesos, which were systematically delivered to the principal respondent, Senator Jinggoy Estrada," he added.

Following the filing of charges, Clavano said immediate raffling of the case is expected to determine which specific division of the anti-graft court will handle the trial.

"Once assigned, the designated division will conduct its own independent judicial evaluation of the records. If the honorable court finds probable cause, we anticipate the subsequent issuance of warrants of arrest against the principal respondents," he said.

Clavano added that the Office of the Ombudsman has recommended no bail while it pursue hold departure order for the respondents, "so as to preserve the integrity of the case in court."

"The Office of the Ombudsman is determined to pursue all cases still pending. We have one shot to get these cases right. The Filipino people need to see justice. This office is here to make sure we deliver just that," he noted.

Aside from Estrada and Bonoan also charged were local engineering officials from the National Capital Region, Assistant District Engineer Denryl Caesar Cortuna and District Engineers Manny Bulusan and Arturo Gonzales Jr.

Clavano also stressed that the charges against "former DPWH Under Secretary Maria Catalina Cabral are formally dismissed by reason of her passing pursuant to the revised Penal Code" while "former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, former NCR regional director Gerard Opulencia, and former Bulacan First District Engineer Henry Alcantara have been formally excluded from the criminal sense of information file." Robina Asido/PHS