Facing 11 counts of graft over alleged pork barrel misuse, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada has filed a motion before the Sandiganbayan seeking clearance to travel to Hong Kong, Japan, and Macau between March 31 and April 5.
The Department of Justice is pushing back, arguing Estrada poses a flight risk and should be barred from leaving the country. Prosecutors pointed to a precautionary hold-departure order already in place, issued by a Manila regional trial court in connection with his alleged involvement in anomalous flood control projects — a separate line of accusations from the pork barrel case.
Beyond the livelihood-related kickback allegations that surfaced in 2013, Estrada is also accused of collecting commissions tied to those flood control contracts.
The senator is separately required to submit a counter-affidavit before the DOJ tomorrow in response to a plunder complaint filed against him.
