The Sandiganbayan has upheld its decision of not guilty to Senator Jinggoy Estrada on one count of direct bribery and two counts of indirect bribery.
The anti-graft court dismissed the motion for reconsideration filed by the prosecution in an eight-page ruling on November 27, 2024. The motion was dismissed due to double jeopardy which states that if a person is charged with an offense and the case is terminated either by acquittal or conviction or in any other manner without the consent of the accused, the latter cannot again be charged with the identical offense.
Estrada released a statement on Monday stating that he is already expecting the same result and noted that the dismissal of the appeal would allow him to fully focus on his job as a senator.
“Although I anticipated this decision, I still hoped that the court would side with me because, in their previous ruling, they stated that the case of direct and indirect bribery lacked merit or basis.”
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Monday meanwhile cleared Senator Bong Go of any involvement in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation and illegal drugs.
“PDEA remains apolitical and non-partisan amid the prevailing political issues in the country. Our ultimate loyalty lies with our sworn mission to protect this nation and its people from the dangers of illegal drugs,” the agency said.
On Nov. 27, PDEA said it showed up before the House of Representatives Quad Comm hearing and presented a matrix “where the name and photograph of Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go appeared and seemingly caused misconception to the public, the Agency would like to clear that nowhere in the said matrix indicated that the Honorable Senator is involved in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGOs and illegal drug activities, even more so in our past public pronouncements.”
“In addition, he is not even considered as an incorporator of any corporations involved in POGO operations. He is not and under no circumstances, in the Agency’s drug watchlist,” it added.
PDEA reiterated that “the presentation is a product of consolidated information from the Senate and Congressional inquiries on illegal drugs and POGOs, including data from PDEA and various reliable sources.”
“PDEA merely bared the presentation with an intention to provide all critical data available without withholding information so as not to be remiss in its legal obligation as an invited resource agency during formal investigations of the House of Representatives Quad Committee hearing in aid of legislation,” it maintained.
