The ‪Special 5th Division said in its resolution that it granted Estrada's bail petition because the evidence, so far, did not point to him as a "main plunderer.”‬



‪The "main plunderer" concept is one of the main reasons why the Supreme Court (SC) acquitted former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of plunder. ‬



‪“Although there is evidence to show that there were glaring irregularities in the disbursement of Estrada’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations and that he received a sum of money from his participation in these irregularities, there is no strong evidence to show that he is a main plunderer….Thus, his admission to bail is in order,” Associate Justice Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega said in the court’s resolution, with concurrences from Associate Justices Reynaldo Cruz and Lorifel Lacap-Pahimna.‬