MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has ordered the release of former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan from police custody after he was formally excluded from the plunder and graft cases involving alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.
The court directed the Philippine National Police General Hospital to release Bonoan after the arrest warrants issued against him in the case were recalled. The order was issued following a request from his lawyer, Stephanie Ong, during the arraignment of the remaining accused, including Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.
Bonoan had been under “hospital arrest” at the PNP General Hospital. His removal from the case came after the Office of the Ombudsman sought to exclude him as a co-accused, with the possibility of having him serve as a state witness in other investigations related to alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
Despite the Sandiganbayan’s release order, Bonoan was expected to remain under PNP custody for at least one more night while authorities checked whether he had any other outstanding warrants from other divisions of the anti-graft court.
PNP spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group had already received a copy of the court order. He added that Bonoan would be released once authorities confirmed that he was not being held under another valid warrant.
With the release order, Bonoan is set to regain temporary liberty. However, he still faces a separate graft case before the Sandiganbayan Second Division, where he has already posted bail.
Bonoan had originally been charged alongside Estrada and other officials in connection with alleged irregularities involving flood control projects and supposed kickbacks amounting to around P573 million.
Meanwhile, during the same proceedings, the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division entered a “not guilty” plea for Estrada after the senator refused to personally enter a plea to the plunder and graft charges filed against him.
The cases stem from investigations into alleged corruption in flood control projects, which have prompted broader scrutiny of government spending and project implementation within the Department of Public Works and Highways.
