Estrada to appear before Sandigan for closing arguments

Detained former President Joseph Estrada will appear before the Sandiganbayan on June 15 when the prosecution and defense panels are set to present their closing arguments on his plunder case. Rene Saguisag, Estrada’s co-lead defense counsel, said the ousted leader’s presence at the Sandiganbayan is needed by his lawyers for their summation, which would mark the end of the trial proper of the plunder case filed on Apr. 4, 2001. "In a case where his everything rides, as it were, and in the course of the day-long argument we would need to consult him, and since we submit that this is still part of the trial, his presence is a matter of right," Saguisag said. Estrada, through Saguisag, also asked the anti-graft court that if police think they need more time need to make security preparations, the hearing should be reset to June 18. The ousted leader is accused of amassing P4.1 billion in ill-gotten wealth after serving less than three years as President. Among his co-accused are his son, outgoing Senator Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, lawyer Edward Serapio, alleged illegal gambling accountant Yolanda Ricaforte and Delia Rajas, Alma Alfaro and Eleuterio Tan – supposed conduits in the illegal diversion of P130 million tobacco excise taxes. Estrada and his lawyers have predicted an acquittal, saying the testimony of his 80 witnesses destroyed the government’s case. On the other hand, Chief Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio believes his prosecution team successfully established their case and that he expects a plunder conviction against all the defendants. Villa-Ignacio also said he expects the a verdict in August, based on the 60-day rule upon submission of the case for decision. Estrada, a former actor popularly known as "Erap", was elected to a six-year term as President in 1998 but was ousted in the January 2001 "EDSA 2" bloodless uprising, with then Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo taking over. He was arrested in April 2001 on plunder charges and has been detained since then. -GMANews.TV