Metro Manila, Philippines – Senator Jinggoy Estrada, former Public Works Secretary Manny Bonoan, and three state witnesses have been barred from leaving the country in the course of the flood control scandal probe.
The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 52 issued a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) against Estrada, Bonoan, and former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials Roberto Bernardo, Henry Alcantara, and Gerard Opulencia on Feb. 10.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) released a copy of the order on Monday, Feb. 16. It directed the Bureau of Immigration to prevent the personalities from leaving the country.
The order, signed by Presiding Judge Juan Ranola Jr., stated that the court found “probable cause to believe that respondents will depart from the Philippines to evade arrest and prosecution of the crimes against them.”
Ahead of the release of the document, Bonoan filed his counter-affidavit with the DOJ. He told reporters he had asked permission to return to the United States to attend to his wife who is undergoing medication.
“As mentioned before, the DOJ does not grant permission for respondents to travel. Nor does it have the capacity to do so. Travel by respondents can only be restricted by the courts,” DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez said.
Meanwhile, Estrada is due to submit his counter-affidavit on Feb. 23. He and Bonoan are co-respondents in a plunder complaint.
When asked about Senator Joel Villanueva, who is also under preliminary investigation for alleged malversation of public funds, Martinez said there is no request for a PHDO against him.
“Only the handling prosecutor for the Jinggoy plunder case filed a petition for PHDO,” he said.
Estrada, Villanueva, and Bonoan have denied the allegations linking them to anomalous flood control projects and kickbacks. Bernardo, Alcantara, and Opulencia have been cleared of criminal liability in the cases in which they are cooperating with the government.
