Jinggoy granted P.5-M bail

Free at last — at least for now.

After almost two years, the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court finally allowed a son of deposed President Joseph Estrada to post P500,000 bail.

Former San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada is one of Estrada’s seven co-accused in his plunder case. Plunder is a non-bailable offense and carries the death penalty.

However, the court allowed Jinggoy to post bail because prosecutors, who are on the final stage of presenting their case, have yet to clearly establish that he was involved in his father’s alleged illegal gambling protection racket.

"I cannot exactly say how happy I am. Of course, after a long wait, nobody could be happier than I," an elated Jinggoy told The STAR in a telephone interview. "Especially for my family, my youngest (child) has been crying all this time because I could not be with them at home."

The former president joked that he would not miss his son’s company at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City where they have been detained for almost two years now.

"I have to thank the Lord that, finally, the court was enlightened," the ousted president told The STAR.

Jinggoy said he will post bail first thing in the morning today. He will visit his father and spend the night with him from time to time, he added.

Estrada’s earlier petition for "house arrest" was rejected by the Sandiganbayan for the second time. He and his lawyers are considering whether to bring their petition to the Supreme Court.

Jinggoy twice celebrated his birthday in hospital detention, turning 40 last Feb. 17. His father will turn 66 on April 19.

Jinggoy said he had developed insomnia while in hospital detention and would need to make a lot of adjustments to get proper sleep.

He also plans to take a weight loss program because of a heart condition, for which he had to be brought to Makati Medical Center several times for treatment.

He also intends to resume his acting career, in which he takes after his father.

Joseph Estrada was a former action star whose movie career endeared him to millions of poor Filipinos and won him a landslide victory in the 1998 presidential elections.

In its 31-page decision, the court said prosecutors failed to show that there was a "conspiracy between the father and son, express or implied," the court said.

"Absent any act or circumstances from which may be logically inferred by the existence of a factual cooperation of acts indicative of agreement, the theory of conspiracy appears to be a speculation and not a fact," it said.

Former Ilocos Sur governor Luis Singson, the prosecution’s main witness, alleged that the young Estrada received P2 million in bribes from illegal gambling bosses during his father’s 31-month presidency.

Last year, Jinggoy won a victory in the Supreme Court, which ruled that he could only be held accountable for the bribe allegation.

Former President Estrada is currently on trial for corruption and economic plunder, charges that carry the death penalty or life in prison. He is accused of amassing more than P4 billion during his 31-month rule.

Prosecutors allege Estrada took bribes from illegal gambling rackets, embezzled state funds and profited from insider trading, among other charges.

Prosecutors alleged that stashed the proceeds in a secret bank account with Equitable PCI Bank under the name Jose Velarde and used the money to buy mansions for his string of mistresses and himself. They say the account contained P3.2 billion at one point.

In his impeachment trial that began in December 2000, the pro-Estrada-controlled Senate refused to accept evidence on the Jose Velarde account.

That sparked a military-backed massive protest in January the following year that ousted him. He was replaced by then Vice President Gloria Arroyo.

Estrada insists he is innocent and that the trial is rigged. He maintains he has not resigned and claims he was illegally forced out of office. Estrada has withdrawn his lawyers but the court has given him government-appointed counsel against his wishes.