ACTING on a Sandiganbayan order, the Philippine National Police (PNP) released former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan from hospital detention.
Bonoan left the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame, Quezon City at around 10:35 Friday morning, according to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
In a statement, CIDG-National Capital Region (CIDG-NCR) chief Police Colonel John Guiagui said that they received (via email) the Sandiganbayan release order past 5:00 pm on Thursday.
The following day, Guiagui said police personnel went to the anti-graft court to secure certification confirming the release order.
Authorities then checked with other divisions to ensure Bonoan had no other pending cases that would effectively prevent the former DPWH Secretary’s release.
“Masaya naman, masaya siya na mare-release siya. He’s waiting for his immediate family,” Guiagui told reporters in an interview before Bonoan left the PNPGH.
Before being discharged, Bonoan underwent a medical check-up to determine whether or not he is fit to leave the CIDG-NCR custody. He is currently under medication.
The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division recently granted the Ombudsman’s motion to drop Bonoan from the plunder and graft charges involving former Senator Jinggoy Estrada.
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,” reads part of the anti-graft court decision.
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