Senator Estrada faces second suspension in graft-related cases

MANILA — Senator Jinggoy Estrada has been suspended for a second time after the Sandiganbayan's Fifth Division ordered a 90-day suspension in relation to his plunder case, the antigraft court announced Monday. The suspension follows an earlier action by another division of the same court, which suspended Estrada last June over graft-related charges. Special prosecutors characterized Estrada's case as stemming from an alleged scheme involving irregular budgetary insertions, according to court documents. The consecutive suspensions underscore the escalating legal challenges facing the senator amid ongoing investigations into his financial dealings. The Sandiganbayan is tasked with handling cases involving graft and corruption allegations against high-ranking government officials and public figures.