Sandiganbayan Grants Hospital Arrest for Ex-DPWH Chief Bonoan, Citing Life-Threatening Illnesses; Arraignment Reset to June 30

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has partially granted former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan's motion to be placed under hospital detention while his non-bailable plunder and graft cases are pending, ruling that his detention in a regular jail facility would pose "a real, imminent and irreparable danger to his life." The seven-page resolution, dated June 4 and made public on June 5, was confirmed by multiple outlets including the Philippine Daily Inquirer (reporter John Eric Mendoza), Rappler, and the Philippine Star. The court ordered that Bonoan, 80, be confined at the Philippine National Police General Hospital at Camp Crame in Quezon City — not at The Medical City in Pasig City, which Bonoan had requested. **Nine Serious Conditions** Based on medical certificates submitted by Bonoan's personal physician, the anti-graft court found that the former public works secretary was suffering from Stage IV chronic renal disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, gouty arthritis, spondylolisthesis (a spinal disorder), dyslipidemia, prostate cancer, severe coronary artery disease, and left atrial and ventricular enlargement. His health was described in medical reports as "frail, necessitating careful vigilant monitoring." His physicians advised that he avoid stress, strenuous activity, heat, and congested environments due to a high risk of infections and cardiac events. The Sandiganbayan acknowledged that "when life-threatening conditions exist, an accused's right to life and health prevails over the enforcement of mandatory detention." The court further found that Bonoan had sufficiently established that his detention in a regular jail facility "would not ensure his presence at trial but in fact, risks jeopardizing his health/life even before justice is served, which completely defeats the purpose of the justice system." The court also noted that Bonoan had returned to the Philippines from abroad in January to cooperate with the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's flood control hearings, and that he surrendered to the Sandiganbayan after arrest warrants were issued — behavior the court characterized as "overt acts reflect[ing] the accused's respect for the legal processes." "Accused Bonoan is still a detention prisoner prior to conviction. While his charge is non-bailable, his detention is strictly preventive to flight, not punitive," the resolution stated. **Arraignment Pushed to June 30** The Sandiganbayan also reset the arraignment of both Bonoan and Senator Jinggoy Estrada to June 30, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported. Bonoan had not attended his original arraignment date before the Fifth Division due to his medical condition. Estrada's arraignment on a separate graft charge was entered with a not-guilty plea on June 4 after he declined to enter a plea himself; his arraignment on the more serious non-bailable plunder count before the Second Division has also been set for June 30. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said authorities would comply with the Sandiganbayan's order. "We will comply," Remulla was quoted as saying by the Philippine Star. **Context** Bonoan was arrested on June 1 after the Sandiganbayan issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him for plunder in connection with the ₱573-million flood control kickback scheme. He and Estrada were charged by the Office of the Ombudsman on May 28 with plunder, graft, and related offenses over allegations that they received and facilitated kickbacks from fraudulent flood control budget insertions. Hospital arrest is a recognized legal remedy in Philippine courts when an accused in a non-bailable case presents documented medical evidence that regular jail detention would endanger their life. In granting the motion, the Sandiganbayan exercised a power it has used in other high-profile cases — most recently in cases involving elderly or seriously ill accused — balancing the state's interest in ensuring trial attendance against the accused's constitutional right to life and health. Bonoan's case is being tried before the Fifth Division; Estrada's plunder case is before the Second Division. Both arraignments are now scheduled for June 30, 2026. --- **Sources** - [Sandiganbayan OKs hospital arrest for ex-DPWH chief Bonoan — Philippine Daily Inquirer (John Eric Mendoza)](https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2240807/court-oks-bid-for-bonoans-hospital-arrest) - [Sandigan allows hospital detention for Bonoan — Philippine Star (Daphne Galvez)](https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/06/06/2533149/sandigan-allows-hospital-detention-bonoan) - [Sandiganbayan puts Manuel Bonoan under hospital arrest — Rappler](https://www.rappler.com/philippines/sandiganbayan-resolution-manuel-bonoan-hospital-arrest/) - [Sandiganbayan Partially Grants Hospital Arrest for Ex-DPWH Chief Manuel Bonoan Over Life-Threatening Illnesses — Tribune](https://tribune.net.ph/2026/06/05/sandiganbayan-partially-grants-bonoan-hospital-arrest) - [Sandiganbayan reschedules arraignment of Estrada, Bonoan for plunder, graft — Manila Times](https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/06/04/news/sandiganbayan-reschedules-arraignment-of-estrada-bonoan-for-plunder-graft/2358416)