Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — State Prosecutors are set to finish their presentation of evidence for detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s bail hearing.
During a hearing before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division this morning, the prosecution said they will only be presenting two more witnesses.
Fifth Division Chairman Roland Jurado said the prosecution should be finished presenting their witnesses so that defense could begin with their presentation of evidence. Sandiganbayan advised the prosecution to rest their case next week.
Estrada has been detained at the Custodial Center of the Philippine National Police (PNP) for over a year now. He is facing plunder charges for an alleged pork barrel controversy.
The senator had previously complained over the slow pace of his bail hearings, which he said should be brief in nature.
Attorney Alexis Abastillas, one of Estrada’s legal counsels, hopes the prosecution will soon conclude their presentation of witnesses. She added that more people who were not included in the original list of the prosecution’s witnesses for the bail hearings have testified.
Defense lawyers said they will only be presenting two witnesses – a clerk of court at a Regional Trial Court, and the sergeant at arms of the Senate.
From once a week, the court scheduled Estrada’s bail hearings to thrice a week in order to expedite the resolution of the senator’s bail petition.
