WAS IT REALLY the hospital detention — or the Sandiganbayan’s decision that helped former Public Works and Highways secretary Manuel Bonoan to heal from hypertension?
According to Philippine National Police General Hospital (PNPGH) Internal Medicine chief Lieutenant Colonel Benaly Bayani, Bonoan is clinically stable but only because he’s taking medication to control hypertension.
“Si Engineer Bonoan presently clinically stable po siya, controlled sa ngayon ang hypertension niya. Under po siya ng medications,” Bayani told reporters in an interview.
Bonoan, he added, remains under the supervision of the hospital’s medical team, adding that there are currently no major concerns regarding the former DPWH Secretary’s health.
“Every hearing naman po, nakikita niyo naman po siya, monitored niyo naman po siya na uma-attend siya. So stable po naman siya. Wala naman po problema,” Bayani stressed.
Acting on a petition filed by the Office of the Ombudsman, the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division earlier dropped Bonoan from the list of respondents facing non-bailable plunder and graft charges involving former Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former DPWH officials.
Voting two against one, the court ruled that it was within the Ombudsman’s “prosecutorial discretion” to determine which accused it would use as a state witness.
“The decision to move for the discharge of an accused is part of the Ombudsman’s prosecutorial discretion of who should be used as a state witness, to bolster the successful prosecution of criminal offenses,” the court said in its decision.
Last May, the Ombudsman charged Bonoan and others with allegedly conspiring to amass more than P500 million in kickbacks from flood control projects.
Meanwhile, Senator Jinggoy Estrada hinted at pursuing all available legal remedies after the Sandiganbayan dropped Bonoan as a co-accused in the plunder and graft case in relation to the so-called flood control scandal.
In a statement on Tuesday, Estrada claimed respecting the court’s decision but pointed out that such development did not end his legal recourse.
“While I respect the decision of the Sandiganbayan, I wish to emphasize that there remain legal remedies available to me under our judicial system, which my legal team will carefully study and pursue at the appropriate time,” Estrada averred.
“I intend to avail myself of all remedies provided under our laws,” he added.
The senator assured that he would continue to rely on due process and the rule of law.
“My faith in our judicial system remains firm. I will continue to stand by the truth and pursue every lawful means available to protect my rights and clear my name and honor,” he quipped.
