Sandigan OKs Atong Ang plea bargain deal

The Sandiganbayan Special Division on Wednesday approved in full the plea bargain deal that Charlie “Atong" Ang, a co-accused in former President Joseph Estrada’s plunder case, entered into with government prosecutors. The plea bargain deal was submitted to the anti-graft court last January 24, under which Ang withdrew his “not guilty" plea and admitted to delivering part of P130 million tobacco excise tax funds to Estrada at the latter’s residence in North Greenhills, San Juan. The anti-graft court stressed that while it is allowing Ang, who was an Estrada gambling buddy, to plead guilty to the lesser offense of corruption of public officials in relation to indirect bribery instead of being charged with plunder, none of his admissions would be used as evidence against deposed President Joseph Estrada. “We reiterate our ruling that the plea bargaining agreement…binds only the parties thereto, which are the prosecution and accused Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang. Any admission of the accused therein is admissible only against him and should properly involve only the allegations in the information that pertain to him or the elements of the offense charged in the information or indictment," the Sandiganbayan said in a 14-page resolution. But the court left an open window wherein the deal may eventually turn against Estrada, in saying “any matter allegedly being admitted in the Agreement cannot be used against the other accused without their having the opportunity to cross-examine accused Ang regarding his alleged admissions." Plunder is a capital offense punishable with life imprisonment and forfeiture of any asset deemed ill-gotten by the court. Corruption of a public official, on the other hand, is punishable by up to six years in prison. Ang also owned up to having pocketed P25 million of the P130 million, which he promised to return to the government. In lieu of cash, the controversial businessman offered his family’s mansion at Dorinthian Gardens in Quezon City. The prosecution, represented by the Office of the Ombudsman and the Office of the Special Prosecutor, accepted Ang’s terms. Ang will be re-arraigned on May 19, wherein it is expected that he will be meted corresponding penalties for the lesser offense to which he has pleaded guilty. Ang fled to the United States shortly after Estrada was ousted in the January 2001 “EDSA 2 people power" uprising. He was extradited to the Philippines on November 2006. -GMANews.TV