Sen. Jinggoy Estrada seeks plunder raps vs. Nani Perez

Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada urged the Ombudsman to upgrade the charges filed against former Justice Secretary Hernando Perez from robbery/extortion to plunder.

Estrada said Perez should be charged with plunder for accepting $2 million bribe when he was still the justice secretary.

Perez was charged for allegedly receiving a $2-million bribe from former Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez in February 2001 in connection with the execution of affidavits to be used in the case against former President Joseph Estrada.

The robbery/extortion cases stemmed from a complaint filed by Jimenez that Perez and the other defendants extorted $2 million from him after he refused to execute an affidavit implicating associates of Estrada in the plunder case filed against the former president.

Perez is also facing charges of graft, falsification of public documents and conduct unbecoming of a public official.

Also charged were his wife Rosario, his brother-in-law Ramon Arceo, and business associate Ernest Escaler.

"The Ombudsman should file plunder charges against Perez and the others accused which is non-bailable, to prevent them from escaping from the rule of law," Estrada stressed.

Estrada said the Ombudsman should be fair and file the appropriate charges against Perez which is plunder because the case involved more than P50 million.