The Sandiganbayan has ordered the suspension of detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada amid ongoing graft cases against him related to anomalous kickbacks in flood control projects.
Preventive Suspension Issued
The Sandiganbayan Second Division, which handles the graft complaints against Estrada, issued a 90-day preventive suspension on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
Estrada was arrested on June 1 and is currently detained at the Quezon City Jail in Payatas under the authority of the Fifth Division of the Sandiganbayan, which handles the plunder cases against him.
Details of the Cases
According to the Office of the Ombudsman, the cases filed against Estrada and his co-respondents—including former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan, and former DPWH engineers Denryl Cortuna, Arturo Gonzales Jr., and Manny Bulosan—stem from an “intricate mechanism, illegal insertion of budget funds, and project allocation within the DPWH infrastructure portfolio for fiscal year 2025.”
Estrada is alleged to have received P573 million in kickbacks after funding was allocated to designated infrastructure projects through budget insertions.
Historical Context
Estrada is the first high-ranking government official to be imprisoned due to anomalous flood control projects. This is the third time he has been detained on corruption charges.
