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Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte has asked the Impeachment Court to dismiss the Articles of Impeachment, arguing that the case suffers from “fatal constitutional, procedural, and substantive defects.” In the voluminous response to the articles submitted by her lawyers to the Senate on Monday, June 1, Duterte said the impeachment complaint failed to meet constitutional standards. “The Articles of Impeachment suffer from fatal constitutional, procedural, and substantive defects. They fail to satisfy the standards required by the Constitution and, accordingly, should be dismissed,” she said. A central argument raised by the vice president was that the House committee on justice allegedly exceeded its authority by conducting what its chairperson publicly described as a “mini-trial.” “The Constitution vests in the House the power to initiate impeachment proceedings, but reserves the power to try and decide impeachment cases solely to the Senate,” the response read. The defense said the…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Monday, June 1, said he was repeatedly offered a deal to leave the Senate majority bloc in exchange for the dismissal of his cases in relation to the flood control scam. He made the statement after voluntarily surrendering to authorities in light of an arrest warrant by the Sandiganbayan over the non-bailable plunder charge. “Ngayon ko lang ito isasapubliko: Maraming beses akong inalok na talikuran ang independent majority bloc kapalit ang pagbabasura sa aking kaso, ngunit hindi ko ito tinanggap. Mas nanaig ang paninindigan ko na manatili sa hanay ng mga kasamahan ko sa independent majority bloc,” said Estrada . [Translation: I will make this public now: I was offered a number of times to turn my back on the independent majority bloc in exchange for the dismissal of my case, but I rejected it. I chose to stand by my colleagues…

Metro Manila, Philippines –  Malacañang  acknowledged the arrest and voluntary surrender of Senator Jinggoy Estrada, calling it the proper thing to do for someone facing a valid arrest warrant, while denying allegations that the administration was behind the cases of some lawmakers. In an ambush interview, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said Estrada’s move to surrender was commendable. “Maganda ang naging ginawa ni Sen. Jinggoy na siya ay voluntary na sumuko. Hindi niya na pinahirapan ang mga law enforcers,” Castro said on Monday, June 1.  [Translation: Sen. Jinggoy did the right thing by voluntarily surrendering. He did not make it difficult for law enforcers.] Castro also pushed back against claims that cases against senators were politically motivated or linked to Senate realignments. “Hindi po masasabi na ito ay may kinalaman sa pagbuo ng majority o minority,” she said. [Translation: It cannot be said that this is related to the formation of…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan fifth division has ordered the arrest of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada for his non-bailable plunder charge on Monday, June 1, in connection with the flood control scandal. The same division has also issued arrest warrants for Estrada’s co-respondents, including former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan. Others were: + Manny Bulusan – district engineer + Arturo Gonzales – district engineer + Denryl Cortuna – assistant district engineer The court also released the warrant for the bailable graft charge against the five respondents. Ahead of the release of the warrant, Estrada filed an omnibus motion seeking to dismiss the case and appeal for a reinvestigation. He also previously filed a motion to withdraw the issuance of arrest warrants. The ombudsman filed the charges with the anti-graft court on May 28 for what it called an “intricate mechanism involving illegal budgetary insertions and project allocations within the DPWH…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Sen. Jinggoy Estrada has filed a motion before the Sandiganbayan seeking the dismissal of the charges against him, alongside a request for a reinvestigation into allegations implicating him in the pocketing of public funds, amid a looming warrant of arrest for non-bailable plunder. In a statement on Monday, June 1, Estrada said his camp filed the omnibus motion, asking the anti-graft court to first consider the motions he filed amid the pending warrant of arrest for plunder and another count of graft in the fifth division. Estrada said their latest pleading includes a motion for the case to be quashed and dismissed with prejudice or in alternative, a request to suspend the proceedings and remand the case back to the ombudsman for reinvestigation.  The senator’s camp earlier filed a motion to withdraw the warrant of arrest, as well as a request to consolidate the cases. On…