Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Monday appealed to the Sandiganbayan to give him the opportunity to fully exercise his legal remedies before taking any coercive action in the plunder case filed against him.
Estrada said he received a copy of the Ombudsman resolution on the plunder case only on Friday evening, leaving him to seek relief from the anti-graft court as he anticipates the possible issuance of an arrest warrant.
He said his legal team filed an Urgent Omnibus Motion Ad Cautelam asking the court to quash the information, dismiss the case with prejudice, or suspend the proceedings and remand the case for reinvestigation or completion of preliminary investigation.
“These are not mere technicalities. I firmly believe that I am entitled to avail myself of the remedies available under the law, including the filing of a motion for reconsideration, especially considering that I received a copy of the Ombudsman Resolution on the plunder case only on Friday evening,” Estrada said.
He said it would be “fair and just” for the court to first consider the motions he had already filed before any coercive measure is taken against him.
“In anticipation of the possible issuance of an arrest warrant in the plunder case filed against me, I respectfully urge the Court to first give due consideration to the motions I have already filed and to uphold the principles of due process,” he said.
Estrada said his lawyers earlier filed pleadings before the Sandiganbayan seeking the consolidation of the cases and deferment of the issuance of any arrest warrant, simultaneous with his posting of bail on graft charges last Friday.
“Hindi ito pag-iwas sa pananagutan sa batas, kundi pagtindig sa aking karapatan sa due process at sa pagkakataong maihain at maiparinig ang aking panig sa tamang paraan. Buo ang aking loob na harapin ang kasong ito at patunayan na walang katotohanan ang mga ibinibintang sa akin (This is not an attempt to avoid accountability under the law, but an assertion of my right to due process and the opportunity to properly present and be heard on my side. I am determined to face this case and prove that the accusations against me are not true),” Estrada said. (PNA)