Former Philippine Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former Representative Mike Defensor have each filed a petition for bail with the Sandiganbayan, according to Rappler. The two are facing plunder charges related to the alleged misuse of public funds.
Rappler reports that the bail requests come after the anti-graft court previously denied a motion filed by Estrada to fix bail. The Philippine News Agency also confirmed that both Estrada and Defensor filed separate petitions for bail in their plunder cases.
Estrada and Defensor are among several former lawmakers accused of involvement in the alleged pork barrel scam. The cases have been pending before the Sandiganbayan for years, with the prosecution arguing that the evidence of guilt is strong. The defense maintains that their clients are entitled to bail as a matter of right.
The court is now expected to hear arguments on the bail petitions. A decision on whether to grant bail could take weeks or months, depending on the schedule of hearings and the volume of evidence presented.
