Sandigan affirms Jinggoy’s US trip

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has upheld its earlier ruling allowing former senator Jinggoy Estrada to stay in the United States for one month starting next week.

In a minute resolution promulgated on April 24, released to the media yesterday, the Fifth Division denied the motion for reconsideration filed by the Office of the Ombudsman’s prosecution panel seeking the reversal of the court’s previous ruling allowing Estrada to travel to the US from April 30 to May 30.

The Fifth Division said the prosecution failed to substantiate its allegation that Estrada forged an invitation letter from the Filipino-American group US Pinoys for Good Governance (USPGG) just to secure the court’s nod for his travel request.

Estrada is facing plunder and graft cases before the Fifth Division in connection with his alleged involvement in the multibillion-peso pork barrel fund scam.