The Sandiganbayan Second Division has deferred the arraignment of Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan in their graft case, after the defense asked the court to first resolve several pending motions.
During the hearing, Estrada’s counsel, Atty. Noel Ostrea, filed a Motion to Reset Hearing and an Urgent Omnibus Motion ad Cautelam, seeking among others to allow the senator to attend proceedings in civilian attire and explore the possibility of participating via videoconferencing.
Ostrea said Estrada, who surrendered and posted P90,000 bail, should not be required to appear in handcuffs or in Bureau of Jail Management and Penology uniform during court proceedings. He also asked that the court consider remote appearance arrangements so the senator could continue performing his legislative duties while the case is ongoing.
Presiding Justice Geraldine Econg noted that the request was unusual but said the court was open to considering it, provided that a formal written motion was submitted. She also cited the Supreme Court’s Amended Guidelines on Videoconferencing, which allow remote participation at various stages of trial under certain conditions.
The prosecution, however, said it had not been furnished copies of the defense motions and was not in a position to respond. The defense likewise admitted that it only had copies available in its office at the time of the hearing.
With both sides unprepared to proceed on the merits of the motions, the Second Division reset the arraignment to Thursday, 4 June, to give all parties time to review and submit the necessary pleadings.
Estrada had earlier spent the night at the New Quezon City Jail–Male Dormitory in Payatas following his arrest by Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) operatives acting on a Sandiganbayan warrant.
Former DPWH officials Denryl Caesar Cortuna, Manny Bulusan, and Arturo Gonzales Jr. were also taken into custody and underwent medical checks before being placed under detention.
Malacañang later clarified that Estrada was arrested — not surrendered — stressing that the warrant was served at the Senate and that any claim of voluntary surrender was inaccurate.
Meanwhile, Bonoan was brought to the PNP General Hospital after experiencing a hypertensive episode during processing, with his blood pressure reportedly reaching 192/100. Authorities said he is now under observation and in stable condition.
The Ombudsman has alleged that Estrada received around P573 million in infrastructure funds in 2025, which he has denied, saying he will contest the charges and claiming he was offered inducements to join the Senate minority bloc in exchange for the case’s dismissal.