Manila, Sept. 3 -- The Sandiganbayan has entered a plea of "not guilty" on behalf of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada after the lawmaker declined to enter a plea during his arraignment on plunder and graft charges on Thursday.

The anti-graft court also denied Estrada's plea to be granted bail in the plunder charge emanating from allegations that he received kickbacks from government contracts for flood control projects.

In denying Estrada's plea for bail, the Fifth Division said it "finds no cogent reason to disturb its earlier ruling (denying bail)."

"Until a hearing determines that the evidence of guilt is not strong, the court has no basis to set a bail amount. Consequently, the motion is denied," the court's six-page resolution by Associate J...