Estrada: Judgement Day


By Tetch Torres
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 06:05pm (Mla time) 09/11/2007


MANILA, Philippines -- Guilty or not guilty.

As to which verdict the Special Division of the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court will hand down against former president Joseph Estrada this Wednesday remains to be seen.

Estrada has been charged with plunder for allegedly amassing ill-gotten wealth and perjury for supposedly falsifying his 1998 Statement of Assets and Liabilities Networth (SALN).

Aside from Estrada, the verdict will also cover his son and co-accused Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, and lawyer Eduardo Serapio, Court spokesman Renato Bocar said.

Under the Anti-Plunder Law or Republic Act 7080 and Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code, Estrada is facing a penalty of reclusion perpetua or from 20 years and one day to 40 years in prison if convicted.

Conviction on a lesser charge could see Estrada freed shortly because he has been detained for six years, although much of that has essentially been house arrest.

Estrada, a former action movie actor who became the second president to be toppled by a popular revolt in 2001, has said he was confident of acquittal and has rejected any suggestions of a pardon by his successor and nemesis, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

"I have been imprisoned for six years, four months and 17 days, but because of your prayers, help and love, I have endured all these," Estrada said in a taped message to Filipinos in Tagalog. "Whatever the Sandiganbayan [court] will decide, I am ready because I know my countrymen have acquitted me."

The charges against Estrada stemmed from allegations that he had amassed between P3 billion and P4 billion in kickbacks and commissions from “jueteng,” an illegal numbers game, and the tobacco excise tax.

These funds were allegedly stashed away under the account name of Jose Velarde, which one of the witnesses for the prosecution -- Clarissa Ocampo -- claimed she saw Estrada sign in documents in the bank where she used to work.

Ocampo was the same witness during the impeachment trial of Estrada in 2000 who told the Senate, which was then converted into an impeachment court, that she was a foot away when the then president signed his name in the bank document as Jose Velarde.

Estrada has denied the charges and accused Arroyo of masterminding his removal in a conspiracy with leaders of the Roman Catholic Church and senior military officers.

Estrada’s trial before the Sandiganbayan started in October 2001 and ended June 15 this year after the presentation of more than 100 witnesses by the prosecution and defense, including the former leader.

If convicted, there have been reports that Estrada will stay either at his rest house in Tanay, Rizal or will return to the Veteran's Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

Security nationwide has been tight, especially around the Sandiganbayan, with over 400 policemen deployed around the area.

One of Estrada's lawyers, former senator Rene Saguisag, said his client vowed not to seek power again or undermine public interest if he is acquitted.

"He just wants his name cleared," Saguisag said on local television Tuesday.

He said political considerations -- including the Supreme Court's decision affirming Arroyo's takeover of the presidency -- may make it difficult for the anti-graft court to acquit Estrada.

"That is the dilemma because punishment came before the trial," Saguisag said. "This is an extremely unusual case in that one of those who decided to get rid of him in 2001 was the Supreme Court itself in a role that was never designed to be its own."

guilty!
and it's gonna be televised!!!!

yup. guilty beyond reasonable doubt for his plunder case and not guilty for his perjury

final result, reclusion perpetua, or life time imprisonment.

he will stay at his tanay rest house until further notice

Estrada is so dumb why did he deposit all his stashed money in the Philippine Banks. Intelligent presidents like Marcos, Ramos, Arroyo, etc... would just deposit their stashed money somewhere outside the Philippines like in Switzerland. He should have taken me as his Consultant Adviser.

well there's another estrada you can have as a prospective client

he can still ask for motion of reconsideration at the supreme court

http://www.inquirer.net/
Estrada guilty of plunder; perjury rap dropped

Estrada son, lawyer not guilty of plunder

By Tetch Torres
Agence France-Presse, INQUIRER.net
Last updated 10:08am (Mla time) 09/12/2007


MANILA, Philippines -- Former president Joseph Estrada has been found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of plunder by the Sandiganbayan and has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

At the same time, the anti-graft court ordered the freezing of Estrada’s accounts estimated at $87 million.

The funds, including protection money from illegal gambling operators, embezzled tobacco taxes, and commissions from insider trading, will be "forfeited," the anti-graft court ruled.

But Estrada son, Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, and lawyer Eduardo Serapio, were acquitted by the anti-graft court in its ruling issued Wednesday that capped a six-year trial for the former leader who was ousted in a popular revolt in 2001.

The perjury case against Estrada however was dismissed.

The court said it would allow Estrada to stay at his resthouse in Tanay, Rizal “until further orders.”

The former leader said he did not want any special treatment.

"Our client is prepared to be taken to the National Penitentiary now," his lawyer Rene Saguisag said.

Estrada is considered the first Philippine president to have been criminally convicted.

Estrada's lawyers said they would read the decisions first to determine their options.

The former president was composed when Teresa Pabulayan, Sandiganbayan Special Division Clerk of Court, read the dispositive portion of Criminal Case 26558 for plunder but winced when he heard the word "guilty."

The 70-year-old former action star-turned politician had repeatedly insisted that the charges against him were politically motivated.

The case against Estrada has marked a bitter chapter in Philippine politics that began when he was ousted from power in 2001, a move which led to violent protests in the streets.

Estrada repeatedly denied the corruption allegations, accusing the business elite, his successor President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the powerful Roman Catholic Church of conspiring against him because of his populist platform.

He said that he had twice rejected offers from Arroyo to clear his name in exchange for his voluntary departure from the Philippines.

"I told them that I will never leave the country and I am prepared to face the charges against me," he said.

"Because of this, I was not only arrested and jailed, I was also humiliated and charged with a non-bailable offense of plunder," he said.

During the trial he has been held at his luxurious compound, and the court ruled he would be remain under house arrest until further orders.

The military had put troops on high alert to ensure calm for the announcement of the verdict, with extra forces placed on standby in military bases around Manila to aid police if necessary.

Schools near the court were ordered closed, and President Arroyo was advised by her security staff to remain in the palace.

The case against Estrada has been a tricky one for Arroyo, who succeeded Estrada in 2001.

The guilty verdict against Estrada, who remains popular among much of the nation's poor, risks setting off demonstrations in the streets. An acquittal would have suggested she had come to power six years ago without a mandate.

In 2001, thousands of Estrada supporters tried to lay siege to the presidential palace to reinstate him.

Arroyo declared a state of emergency and called in troops to quash what she later said was an uprising aimed at toppling the government. Four people died in that incident, while over 100 were arrested.

In a taped message smuggled to a radio station on the eve of the verdict, Estrada said he believed the public had already decided he was innocent.

"I have been in detention for six years, four months and 17 days," he said. "But because of your prayers, help and love I have survived this heavy burden."

"I am prepared because I have already been acquitted by the people," he said. "My personal freedom is no longer important."


From CNN International Newshttp://www.cnn.com/



MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- A Philippines court convicted deposed President Joseph Estrada of plunder and sentenced him to life in prison Wednesday, following a six-year trial in which the constitutionality of the law was challenged.

Joseph Estrada in an April 25, 2001, police booking photo following his arrest on corruption charges.


Joseph Estrada in an April 25, 2001, police booking photo following his arrest on corruption charges.

Estrada, 70, was found not guilty of perjury. Prosecutors alleged he falsely declared his financial assets.

In a phone interview with CNN, Estrada said the next step for his legal team would be to appeal his conviction in the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court to the country's Supreme Court.

"It's not yet the end of the road, we still have (an) option to appeal our case to the Supreme Court," the former president said. Watch Estrada declare innocence »

Estrada's son Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada and attorney Edward Serapio were co-defendants in the case but were acquitted of the plunder charges.

Prosecutors, however, lauded the decision in news reports. "This is the last chance for the state to show that we can do it, that we can charge, prosecute and convict a public official regardless of his stature," special prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio said in an Associated Press report. "It shows that our judicial system really works."

Plunder is a capital offense in the Philippines, although the death penalty was abolished recently, according to AP reports. The law, passed in 1994, was prompted by the outcry over the illegal wealth acquired by former President Ferdinand Marcos while in office. Ironically, Estrada was one of the law's main proponents when he was a senator. Estrada was the first person prosecuted under the law.

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He was convicted of pocketing tens of millions of dollars during the 31 months of his presidency. As a part of his sentencing, Estrada was ordered to forfeit about $15 million and a mansion.

He was acquitted of perjury related to allegations he falsely declared his assets, according to the AP

Estrada was ousted after three years in office in January 2001 in the midst of an impeachment hearing related to corruption accusations.

Following massive protests, current President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo -- then Estrada's vice president -- was swept into power on a wave of public support and the backing of the military.

Estrada remains a popular figure in the Philippines and security forces have been on alert in the event his conviction stirs violence among his supporters.

"Of course, I'll try to calm them," Estrada told CNN.

Riot police and troops kept hundreds of Estrada backers several blocks from the anti-graft court in Manila that Estrada inaugurated before he was ousted, the AP reported.

Security also was very tight around the presidential palace as Arroyo worried about a repeat of violent protests that followed Estrada's arrest in April 2001.


Arroyo spokesman Ignacio Bunye appealed for calm.

"We hope and pray that the rule of law will prevail," Bunye said in AP reports. "Meantime, we have a country to run, an economy to grow and a peace to win. We hope that this sad episode in our history will not permanently distract us from this goal."

first philippines needs to start with the Marcos clan then this BS.

but then agian its the filipinos fault for the electing him into office. so you cant' really judge him for his inability and stupidity. BUT agian whos gonna go after GMA for all those killing? (RP press needs to learn to shut it mouth and be regulated by government, oour business is being smeared all over the world.)

I doubt with that!

GUILTY! wahehehe...

although... i don't think he will be for long