“The requested days for furlough are indubitably the only days in the year where family traditions of being together are of no question. Premises considered, it is respectfully prayed of the honourable court to allow the accused a furlough on the days and time, under escort and security conditions at accused’s expense,” Estrada wrote in his December 12 motion that was made public Monday.
However, division clerk of court Ma. Teresa S. Pabulayan said the motion will not be heard, since the justices of the division have asked to be removed from the case.
Earlier Monday, Justices of the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division recused themselves from Estrada’s trial “for personal reasons.”
In a one-page document submitted to Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, Justices Roland Jurado, Alexander Gesmundo and Ma. Theresa Dolores Estoesta requested to be relieved of handling Estrada’s case.
“May we request for our recusal in the above indicated criminal cases for personal reasons,” the three justices wrote.
Estrada is facing graft and plunder charges for allegedly channeling millions of pesos of his pork barrel allocations to bogus NGOs owned by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, in exchange for kickbacks. The Fifth Division is currently hearing his bail petition.
He is currently detained at the Philippine National Police custodial center in Camp Crame.
In his motion for furlough, Estrada detailed family traditions and asked the court to allow him to spend the two upcoming holidays at home.
“In accused’s family, being together to honor the birth of our Lord is one of their most honored and respected tradition. Every year on December 25 accused and family join their parents and all their relatives for their Christmas tradition at Polk Street, North Greenhills, San Juan City,” Estrada said.
“And, on the eve of every New Year they are for the past years together and meet the incoming year at the accused’s residence at 520 Cameron Road, Corinthian Hills, Quezon City and then they all join their father for lunch every January 1 of the year,” he added, reiterating his request for a furlough.
The motion was originally set for hearing on December 17. However, Pabulayan said that no hearings on the pork scam cases will be conducted pending the resolution of the request of the justices to be removed from the case. — Patricia Denise Chiu/BM, GMA News
