Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada yesterday asked the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan to extend his stay in the United States as he thanked the court for allowing him to travel starting yesterday until Monday, June 14.
In an urgent motion to the anti-graft court’s special division, lawyer Noel Malaya pleaded for Jinggoy’s travel to be extended until June 27.
The court did not rule on the motion but modified its resolution and allowed Estrada to return on June 16, pending another resolution on Estrada’s motion.
Estrada was scheduled to leave for the US at 10:30 last night via Philippine Airlines after his lawyer posted the court-required RP100,000 travel bond.
The court said the young Estrada has a constitutional right to travel abroad.
The court also dismissed the possibility of flight on the part of Estrada, following his election to the Senate.
“The court is convinced and satisfied that with the election of the movant-accused to the august body of the Senate of the Philippines, the risk of flight is not only nil, but practically non-existent,” the court said.
Estrada is set to join Filipino communities in San Francisco, California, particularly the annual Fiesta Filipino, the biggest Filipino-American Independence Day celebration in the United States.
Estrada was invited as guest speaker during the opening ceremonies of the two-day event, which will be held today and tomorrow at the Civic Center Plaza in front of the San Francisco City Hall.
