Sandigan grants Jinggoy 2-day pass for colon checkup

MANILA, Philippines -  The Sandiganbayan has granted the request of former senator Jinggoy Estrada to leave his detention facility for two days to undergo a medical checkup.

In a resolution dated July 25 and released to media yesterday, the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division allowed Estrada to undergo colonoscopy at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) in San Juan from 8 a.m. today until 8 a.m. on Saturday.

Estrada is on trial for plunder and graft in connection with the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam.

He is detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

The Sandiganbayan barred Estrada from giving media interviews.

The former senator will shoulder the expenses to be incurred by the PNP for his transportation and security, the court said.

In his motion, Estrada said he was advised by his physician to undergo colonoscopy after he was diagnosed to have an elevated level of blood protein called carcinoembryonic antigen during a previous checkup.

Estrada is accused of amassing P183.793 million in kickbacks for allocating his Priority Development Assistance Fund from 2004 to 2012 to fake non-government organizations linked to businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the pork barrel scam.