Manila, March 13 -- The Sandiganbayan has turned down Senator Jinggoy Estrada's plea for the transmittal from the Ombudsman to the Sandiganbayan of the preliminary investigation records in the corruption cases against him involving alleged misuse of legislative funds.

In its four-page resolution dated March 12 written by Associate Justice Maryann CorpusManalac, the anti-graft court's Fifth Division denied Estrada's latest request for lack of merit and affirmed its earlier resolution rejecting his plea. Two magistrates, Zaldy Trespeses and Gener Gito concurred.

"As observed by this court, the accused (Estrada) has failed to: (1) demonstrate compelling reasons to order the production of the requested preliminary investigation records; (2)...