Court prohibits Jinggoy, 13 others from leaving PH

The Sandiganbayan bars Senator Jinggoy Estrada, businesswoman Janet Napoles and 13 others from leaving the country. The court’s 5th division issues a hold departure order against the 14, who are accused of conniving to pocket millions in lawmakers’ development funds. On Friday, the anti-graft court raffled the cases to divisions in the Sandiganbayan – the start of the biggest corruption cases ever handled by the court in recent history. The anti-graft court also told the Supreme Court that it doesn’t see the need to create special divisions for the high profile cases in reply to a request of the Ombudsman. The exact day for the arrest of 3 senators charged with graft and plunder remain a guessing game, but their special jail at the central police camp in Quezon City is ready for them anytime.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Read more on the debate on special divisions on Rappler here and here.

See photos of the detention center for the senators on Rappler.