Jinggoy asks SC to stop trial of his PDAF cases

Unidentified government source leaked Sen. Jose ‘Jinggoy’ Estrada’s mugshots.

MANILA — Detained Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Ejercito Estrada has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to stop the trial of the plunder and graft cases filed against him at the Sandiganbayan in connection with the alleged priority development assistance fund (PDAF) scam.

This was through a petition for certiorari filed by the camp of Estrada before the SC seeking to stop the trial of the PDAF cases through the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO).

Named respondents in the petition are the Office of the Ombudsman Field Investigation Office (Ombudsman-FIO), Sandiganbayan and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Estrada also asked the SC to nullify the cases filed against him as well as the warrant of arrest issued by the Sandiganbayan.

He argued that the joint resolution issued by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on March 28, 2014 and the dismissal of his motion for reconsideration (MR) in her order on June 4, 2014 should be set aside and voided because his right to due process and equal protection was violated.

This is the second petition filed by the camp of Estrada in connection with the pork barrel scam.

The first petition was filed last May where he questioned the refusal of the Ombudsman to furnish him a copy of the sworn statements of the whistleblowers involving the cases against him, arguing that such a refusal was a violation of his right to due process.