Ombudsman asks Sandiganbayan to garnish Jinggoy's assets

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman requested the Sandiganbayan to order the garnishment of assets of detained Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.

Assistant Ombudsman Asryman Rafanan said on Thursday that state prosecutors have filed an ex parte motion for a writ of preliminary attachment withholding Estrada's assets amounting to P183 million.

Citing a report by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Rafanan, however, said most of the lawmaker's bank accounts have been closed at the height of the controversy in 2013.

"One of the penalties under the Plunder Law, under Section 2, is that If there's any finding of ill gotten wealth that would be decided by the court, then these properties would have to be forfeited in favor of the state," Rafanan said.

He added that the remedy of garnishment is to protect the interests of the state to ensure that assets are returned to public coffers.

On Monday, the Sandiganbayan 5th Division denied Estrada's motion seeking to stop Ombudsman prosecutors from using the AMLC report as evidence in the plunder case against him.

Estrada was charged with plunder and several graft counts stemming from the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam. He was arrested in June 2014 and detained at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame.