MANILA — Senator Jinggoy Estrada has filed a motion asking a Manila court to lift the precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) issued against him in connection with a plunder complaint filed with the Department of Justice. His spokesperson said he is not a flight risk.

In an ambush interview, Estrada’s spokesperson Bianca Soriano said an omnibus motion was filed Wednesday to reconsider the issuance of the order and to lift it.

“It should be lifted because the rules require that there should probable cause, and second that the respondent is a flight risk,” Soriano said.

“So we already attacked the evidentiary nature that there is no probable cause… and second, that respondent Senator Jinggoy Estrada is not a flight risk. As we’ve seen in Sandiganbayan, he has been complying with the necessary requirements for him to be able to travel,” she added.

The PHDO was issued in February by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 52 against Estrada, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan, former DPWH undersecretaries Maria Catalina Cabral and Roberto Bernardo, former DPWH regional director Gerard Opulencia, and former district engineer Henry Alcantara.

Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said the DOJ has yet to receive an official copy of the motion and will decide whether to oppose it after reviewing the arguments.

“Nasa court na po ang decision whether or not they will lift the PHDO, temporarily [or] permanently. Aalamin po ng court kung legitimate ‘yung mga reasons ni Senator Estrada for filing the motion,” Martinez said.

Estrada personally appeared at the DOJ with his lawyers to file a counter-affidavit responding to the plunder complaint, which also includes alleged violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, direct bribery, receiving gifts by public officers, and corruption of public officers.

Soriano said they challenged the procedural sufficiency of the complaint, noting that the National Bureau of Investigation submitted a letter attached to an affidavit rather than a formal complaint affidavit. They also questioned the admissibility and credibility of evidence and highlighted alleged inconsistencies in statements from state witnesses Alcantara and Bernardo.

“Unahin natin ‘yung sinabi ni Henry Alcantara na si Bernardo ‘yung nagtanong kung meron pa siyang projects. And then we see Bernardo’s statements or affidavit naman saying na it was Alcantara who offered that list of projects,” Soriano said.

She added that Estrada remains confident that his cases will be dismissed.