Sandiganbayan defers Estrada and Bonoan arraignment to June 4

The Sandiganbayan Second Division on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 rescheduled the arraignment of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and former Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan on the two graft counts under Republic Act 3019 to Thursday, June 4, 2026 at 1:30 PM. The reset coincides with the Fifth Division arraignment on the plunder count, now also calendared for June 4 at 8:30 AM. The court cited two reasons on the record. First, Estrada's Urgent Omnibus Motion Ad Cautelam filed at the Fifth Division on June 1, 2026 remained pending; the motion sought consolidation with the graft cases, deferment, quashal of the plunder information, dismissal with prejudice, or remand to the Office of the Ombudsman for reinvestigation. Second, Bonoan's blood pressure during PNP booking at Camp Crame on June 1 registered 192/100, prompting transfer to the PNP General Hospital and a court-directed medical assessment before any court appearance. The bailable graft track at the Second Division was set in motion on May 29, 2026 when both posted P90,000 bond per count. The plunder count at the Fifth Division is non-bailable when the evidence of guilt is strong; the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant on it on June 1, 2026, and both surrendered the same afternoon.