MANILA - Former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan on Friday entered a not guilty plea before the Sandiganbayan Second Division in his graft case over the alleged flood control kickback scheme.
Bonoan was seen entering the courtroom without police escorts after the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division, which earlier dropped his separate plunder and graft charges, ordered his release from police custody.
After the arraignment, the court proceeded with the pre-trial, during which the prosecution and defense stipulated on facts and marked exhibits.
Sandiganbayan says no release order yet for Bonoan
Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who is also accused in the graft case, attended the hearing via teleconference.
During the stipulation of facts, Presiding Justice Geraldine Econg asked the prosecution to summarize its theory of the case.
“It is our position that Estrada facilitated the inclusion of the projects in the General Appropriations Act 2025. And when projects were awarded to said contractors, the accused had influenced the awarding of said projects to the contractors,” the prosecution said.
Estrada reiterated he had no role in the bidding process of the DPWH or in the selection of contractors for the projects material to the case.
“I have never participated in any bidding whatsover in the DPWH and I think even my former lawmakers have never participated in any biddings,” Estrada said during the hearing.
“How can I influence the awarding [of contracts] if I do not know anyone from the DPWH?” he added.
Econg told Estrada that he would have time to present his defense during the trial stage.
Sandiganbayan grants prosecution's bid to discharge Bonoan as Estrada's co-accused in plunder, graft
The Second Division earlier denied the prosecution’s separate bid to amend the information to exclude Bonoan as a co-accused.