MANILA, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan reversed its conviction on Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada on one count of bribery and two counts of indirect bribery due to lack of evidence.
The ruling of the Sandiganbayan 5th Division also set aside the motion for partial reconsideration filed by co-accused Janet Lim Napoles still in connection to the alleged misuse of the P183 million Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) also known as the “pork barrel” scam.
The 28-page decision released last August 22 said that apart from the P1 million deposit to Estrada’s Bank of Commerce Bank account dated Sep. 18, 2008, no other piece of evidence was presented by the prosecution other than the aforementioned.
The anti-graft court also upheld the conviction on 4 counts of Corruption of Public Officials under Article 212, in relation to Article 210, paragraph 2 of the Revised Penal Code.
Napoles on the other hand was sentenced to imprisonment of 8 years of prision mayor as minimum to ten years and 8 months of prision mayor as maximum, for each count and ordered to pay a fine of P29,625,000.00.
“While direct bribery is a lesser offense of plunder and the Information sufficiently alleged the factual details descriptive of its essential elements, the prosecution’s evidence failed to establish the guilt of accused Estrada beyond reasonable doubt,” the decision read.
“We are, thus, constrained to reverse his conviction for one count of direct bribery under Art. 210 of the RPC. Consequently, the corresponding conviction of Napoles for one count of corruption of public officials under Art. 212 of the RPC is likewise reconsidered,” it read.
In a statement, Estrada expressed gratitude over the reversal of his conviction.
“I am deeply relieved of the Sandiganbayan Special Fifth Division’s decision finding merit in my motion for reconsideration and acquitting me of the direct and indirect bribery charges. This ruling reaffirms the innocence I have consistently maintained throughout the ordeal, which spanned a decade, as I sought to prove the baselessness of the accusations against me,” Estrada said in a statement.
“Pinatotohanan ng korte ang naunang pahayag na wala akong tinanggap na suhol, direkta man o hindi. Hindi ako kailanman gumamit ng pondo ng bayan para sa pansariling interes o para pagtakpan ang anumang gawain na taliwas sa mga umiiral na batas. At higit sa lahat, pinatotohanan ng desisyong ito na hindi ko sinira ang tiwala na ibinigay sa akin ng mga mamamayan,” he added.
