The Department of Justice has announced that prosecutors are continuing to scrutinize the plunder complaints under investigation against Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former Senator Bong Revilla Jr. According to Justice Spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez, the plunder case facing Senator Jinggoy Estrada is currently 'under review' by the department for the issuance of a resolution.
Details of the Cases Under Review
This complaint was filed by the National Bureau of Investigation against the lawmaker in connection with anomalous flood control projects. The spokesperson explained that the 'under review' status of the complaint signifies it has been 'submitted for resolution,' but prosecutors are still conducting a thorough analysis. After this process is completed and the resolution is officially released, the department will promptly submit the investigation results to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Jurisdiction and Next Steps
The jurisdiction lies with the Ombudsman because the positions of the involved senators exceed 'salary grade 27.' Although the Justice Department will submit a resolution or 'referral,' Spokesperson Martinez shared that the Ombudsman will conduct a separate review regarding the matter. In addition to Senator Jinggoy Estrada, the spokesperson confirmed that the plunder complaint against former Senator Bong Revilla Jr. has also been 'submitted for resolution.'
This was reportedly done in recent days, so the resolution is expected to be released this April. However, the Department of Justice acknowledged that the Office of the Ombudsman will decide whether to elevate it as a case to the appropriate court.
