Sandiganbayan drops plunder, graft raps vs Bonoan

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division dropped the plunder and graft charges against former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan.

“He (Bonoan) is no longer an accused in the two cases before the Fifth [Division],” a member of the prosecution team told the Inquirer on Tuesday.

“But I think the other accused will file [an] MR (motion for reconsideration),” they added.

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READ: Sandigan junks bid to drop Bonoan from graft case to be state witness

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Another source likewise confirmed the development.

Bonoan was accused alongside Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, DPWH district engineers Manny Bulusan and Arturo Gonzales Jr., and assistant district engineer Denryl Caesar Cortuna over an alleged scheme involving P573 million in kickbacks in connection with the infrastructure corruption scandal.

Last August, the Second Division, which handles the second count of graft against Estrada and Bonoan, denied the motion to charge the former secretary.

The Office of the Ombudsman sought to discharge Bonoan as part of a bid to turn him into a state witness in other flood control corruption scandal-related cases. /mcm