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MANILA, Philippines — The alleged kickbacks received by Sen. Joseph "Jinggoy" Estrada reached more than P573 million, according to Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano.
In a press briefing on Thursday, May 28, Clavano said that case records pointed to an accumulated sum of alleged illicit payouts amounting to over P573 million in flood control projects.
"Case records point to an accumulated sum of illicit payouts amounting to over P573 million, which were systematically delivered to the principal respondent Sen. Jinggoy Estrada," Clavano said.
While the Ombudsman acknowledges that the Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office (LBRMO) issued a certificate stating there was no documented record of budget insertions initiated by the respondent, this certification is limited.
According to Clavano, the document fails to account for all stages of the budgetary process, noting that insertions can still be introduced through a layered method at other points in the system.
"This certificate does not capture all stages of the budgetary process wherein insertions may be made in a layered method," Clavano said.
"I want to emphasize that this is very clear. Our case is built on solid, immovable evidence," he added.
This is lower than the P355 million previously alleged by former Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez during the House of Representatives infra committee hearing in September 2025.
The P355 million, according to Hernandez, were the alleged insertions made by Estrada in Bulacan flood control projects.
Meanwhile, the Sandiganbayan 2nd and 5th divisions are set to handle Estrada’s graft charges filed by the Ombudsman. The plunder charges were filed before the 5th Division.
Third time’s a charm
This is the third time Estrada has been charged with plunder.
The first time he was charged was in 2001, alongside his father, former President Joseph Estrada, over the illegal numbers game “jueteng.”
They were accused of “amassing and acquiring ill-gotten wealth from illegal gambling through any or a combination of overt or criminal acts or similar schemes or means.”
However, Estrada was acquitted by the Sandiganbayan in 2007.
Another plunder case in connection with the Priority Development Assistance Fund was filed against Estrada in 2014, amounting to P183 million from his discretionary funds.
He was previously acquitted in January 2024 by the anti-graft court of plunder but convicted of direct and indirect bribery. He was later acquitted of the bribery conviction in August 2024 after filing a motion for reconsideration.
If the court finds probable cause against Estrada for plunder, he can once again be detained without bail, as plunder is a non-bailable offense.
Thirteen graft charges
Aside from plunder, Estrada also faces a total of 13 graft charges from the PDAF and flood control scandals.
As of writing, Estrada has 11 pending graft charges. With the two counts of graft filed by the Ombudsman before the anti-graft court on Thursday, this brings the total to 13 pending graft charges.
He is currently on bail on graft charges, as graft under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act is bailable.
'So be it'
In a statement, Estrada said that he will exhaust all remedies available under the law.
He said he was not given the opportunity to study the charges filed against him.
"We will exhaust all legal remedies. Sa kasalukuyan, inihahanda ng aking mga abogado ang mga kaukulang hakbang upang maipakita ang mga iregularidad sa naging proseso, gayundin ang mga ebidensyang hindi nabigyan ng sapat na timbang at konsiderasyon," he said.
"Bukod dito, hindi ako nabigyan ng pagkakataong makita at mapag-aralan nang maayos ang mga resolusyon ng Department of Justice (DOJ) at Ombudsman upang makapaghain ng kaukulang paliwanag o Motion for Reconsideration bago isinampa ang kaso sa Sandiganbayan. Ang ganitong labis at hindi makatuwirang proseso ay may seryosong implikasyon sa aking right to due process," he added.
Estrada, alongside Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, was appointed co-chairperson of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on May 25. The Ombudsman field investigators also found alleged plunder involving Marcoleta.
The committee, currently led by Estrada and Marcoleta, is conducting the Senate’s probe into flood control projects.
