Senator Jinggoy Estrada, former public works secretary Manuel Bonoan, and three other co-accused in a plunder case are now in government custody after the Sandiganbayan ordered their arrest over alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla personally led Estrada’s arrest at the Senate on Monday afternoon.
Bonoan and another public works official surrendered to the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group at Camp Crame, while two other accused voluntarily surrendered to the Sandiganbayan, Remulla said in a press briefing.
“All the five are accounted for,” Remulla said, referring to Estrada, Bonoan, and their three co-accused.
Remulla said he received a copy of Estrada’s arrest warrant at around 2:45 p.m. and immediately proceeded to the Senate with CIDG operatives. They arrived at around 3:30 p.m.
“As soon as I got the warrant, I acted on it,” he said.
Estrada arrived at the CIDG office in Camp Crame at around 4:18 p.m., accompanied by Remulla, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, and PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.
Remulla said Cayetano accompanied Estrada “to show solidarity with Jinggoy.”
According to Remulla, Estrada was read his Miranda rights inside the Senate, making the arrest effective at the Senate premises.
“We arrested him in the Senate. He was read his Miranda rights in the Senate. He was read his rights in the Senate, so that technically constitutes an arrest,” Remulla said.
“We arrested him. I went there personally together with the CIDG. He was read his Miranda rights, and from there he was brought here to Camp Crame to be processed,” he added.
Remulla said Estrada underwent standard police processing at the CIDG, including fingerprinting, mugshot taking, and medical examination.
He also said Cayetano initially asked that Estrada be brought out of the Senate first before the arrest was implemented.
“He was requesting that he be brought out of the Senate first. And I said, ‘I’m sorry, you lost that privilege when Sen. Bato Dela Rosa escaped. We will arrest him now on the spot,’” Remulla said.
Dela Rosa escaped from the Senate premises last May 14, evading law enforcers who were supposed to serve an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. He had been under the protective custody of the Senate before his escape.
“There is no more hiding behind the curtains of the Senate,” Remulla said.
Bonoan, meanwhile, was not immediately brought to the Sandiganbayan after his blood pressure rose to 192 over 100 while in police custody.
“Secretary Bonoan is on his way to the hospital because his hypertension was listed at 192 over 100. He will be kept there for an undetermined amount of time before he stabilizes. And when the doctor says that he is fit to stand trial, then he will be brought to the Sandiganbayan,” Remulla said.
Asked about Bonoan’s status, Remulla said the former DPWH chief is under hospital arrest.
The DILG and PNP decided to bring Bonoan to the PNP hospital before transporting him to the anti-graft court due to the risk posed by his blood pressure, Remulla said.
“It was our decision before we transport him to bring him there before transporting him to Sandiganbayan. Secretary Bonoan was not fit to go to the Sandiganbayan, so we took him to the hospital,” he said.
Remulla said Bonoan remains under full PNP security, with restricted access.
“He cannot leave, and access to him is restricted,” he said.
“He surrendered. He is already in the custody of the police. He is not yet in the custody of the court, but he is in the custody of the police,” Remulla added.
Estrada and the other accused were later brought to the Sandiganbayan. Remulla said it will be up to the court to determine where they will be detained.