The Trial of former President Estrada
ABS-CBN News Online Research
What could be the most controversial saga in the annals of Philippine political history is about to end with the verdict to be handed down on September 12, 2007.
From the time former governor Luis “Chavit” Singson, erstwhile Estrada compadre, talked of giving then President Estrada more than $8-M in payoffs from illegal gambling and $2.7-M from tobacco excise taxes in October 9, 2000 the Estrada plunder trial became the most watched running story in the course of over six years.
The impeachment trial began on December 7, 2000. Millions of Filipinos followed the proceedings through the live coverage of ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC). With the technology of both cable television and telecommunications, it became easy to mobilize public opinion. Everybody and their aunt had something to say.
Thus, when then administration senators blocked the opening of the third envelope in the hearing which prompted the walkout of the prosecutors, it took only a few hours to call on anti-Estrada groups to mass up at the EDSA shrine. That was January 16, 2000. Four days later, when thousands trooped from EDSA to Malacañang, Erap left the Palace.
At noon of the same day, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was sworn into office as President of the Republic.
ABS-CBN News Online Research Team compiled the highlights of the case following the ouster of Estrada.
2001
The panel created by then-Ombudsman Aniano Desierto started the investigation on allegations
against Estrada and his co-accused. |
January 22 - The five-man panel created by Ombudsman Aniano Desierto to probe criminal raps against deposed president Joseph Estrada is given 60 days to wrap-up its preliminary investigation.
The panel, headed by Deputy Ombudsman Margarito Gervacio, was tasked to investigate charges of plunder, perjury and graft against the deposed leader, members of his family and alleged business cronies.
January 23
Ombudsman Aniano Desierto sends a letter to Estrada in his residence at Polk Street, North Greenhills, San Juan informing him that graft charges have been filed against him.
The Ombudsman asks the Department of Justice to issue hold-departure order against Estrada, his son San Juan Mayor Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, former executive secretary Ronaldo Zamora, former Budget secretary Benjamin Diokno, former presidential legislative liaison officer Jimmy Policarpio, and Senators John Osmena and Teresita Aquino-Oreta.
(The hold departure order initially included the name of Chavit Singson. It was later removed upon the order of the DOJ.)
It was Sen. Joker Arroyo who revealed that Estrada kept several bank accounts under assumed names aside from the Jose Velarde
deposits. |
January 25
Mr. Estrada appeals to the Arroyo government to reopen his impeachment case for him to be given a "fair and just trial."
Makati Rep. Joker Arroyo bares several secret bank accounts linked to Estrada. He said the defunct impeachment prosecution panel has in its custody documents of Estrada's bank accounts under the names of Jose Marcelo, Jose Velarde and Kevin Garcia.
January 30
Justice Secretary Hernani Perez confirms earlier rumor that Mark Jimenez is DOJ’s latest witness against Estrada..
Prosecutors investigating plunder, graft and corruption charges against Estrada announces they have uncovered evidence of at least 15 different accounts linked to the deposed leader amounting to P10 to P15 billion in total deposits. Atty. Eduardo delos Angeles, leader of the Ombudsman's probe panel, says they unearthed a paper trail linking the former president to the bank accounts which were under the aliases Jose Velarde, Kelvin Garcia, John Uy, Jose Marcelo and two other fictitious names.
February 1
Ombudsman Aniano Desierto gives Estrada 72 hours to file counter-affidavit on the six graft cases filed against him. The next day, Estrada asks for a 30-day extension for the counter-affidavit.
Perez said the request was made by the former president due to lack of lawyers willing to handle his cases. Perez offers volunteers of the Public Attorney's Office to the deposed leader.
February 5
The Office of the Ombudsman gives Estrada five days or until February 12 to submit his counter-affidavit. Desierto said the panel voted against Estrada's motion for an extension. He noted that the 5-day grace period is "allowable" under the rules but he emphasized that this will be the ultimate deadline.
February 6
Human rights lawyer and former senator Rene Saguisag confirms he has decided to act as legal adviser of Estrada. He said he will only help Estrada in his petition to be filed the same day with the Supreme Court questioning the legitimacy of President Arroyo's assumption of office.
The Supreme Court rejects Estrada's petition for a temporary restraining order on the Ombudsman's investigation of plunder and other criminal cases filed against him. The high court orders Desierto to comment by February 12 on the petition filed by Estrada. The oral argument on the case is set on February 15.
February 20
Estrada asks the Supreme Court to suspend for 100 days an investigation into corruption allegations against him to allow political passions to subside. Estrada, in a petition filed by his lawyers also accused President Arroyo of "power grab" by assuming the presidency at the peak of a popular revolt which forced him to step down on Jan. 20. Estrada filed the petition in support of his earlier formal plea to declare him as still the country's legitimate leader, and thus immune from lawsuits.
The Supreme Court issues a 30-day TRO preventing the Office of the Ombudsman from investigating the criminal cases against Estrada.
February 21
Justice Secretary Hernando Perez reveals the government has accepted as new witnesses businessmen Federico Pascual and Carlos Arellano in connection with the additional plunder cases set to be filed against Estrada. Pascual and Arellano are former top officials of the pension funds Government Service Insurance System and Social Security System, respectively. Perez said the two have already executed affidavits and testified under oath on GSIS and SSS controversial transactions. He added the amount involved in the said transactions amounted to billions of pesos. Estrada allegedly asked the two trust funds to invest in the merging of Equitable Bank and PCI Bank. SSS and GSIS reportedly acquired 72 percent of PCI shares worth P39.9 billion.
February 22
Justice Secretary Hernando Perez reportedly leaves for Hong Kong to meet with businessman Charlie "Atong" Ang, Estrada's crony. Ang is reportedly being considered by DOJ to stand as state witness against Estrada. Perez had said that Ang had agreed to testify but his testimony will be taken abroad.
The infamous "Boracay mansion" -- Estrada's home away from home. |
February 28
The Department of Justice says it is mulling on admitting businessman Jaime Dichaves as state witness against Estrada. Dichaves, Estrada's pal, is the known owner of the controversial Boracay mansion in New Manila that was allegedly built for former actress Laarni Enriquez. His name also emerged during the impeachment trial after he claimed to be the owner of the multimillion-peso Jose Velarde accounts.
March 2
The Supreme Court upholds the legitimacy of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo presidency.
Earlier the same day, the Department of Justice files another plunder case against Estrada following the testimonies of businessman Mark Jimenez. Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said Jimenez, an estranged Estrada pal, revealed he remitted some P346 million in extortion money and unpaid loans to the former chief executive. In his sworn affidavit, Jimenez admitted he gave a total of 10 checks to Estrada from December 1998 to August 2000. The largest of which was a P126-million Equitable-PCI bank check.
March 5
Ombudsman Aniano Desierto asks the Supreme Court to lift the 30-day TRO preventing his office from resolving or deciding on the criminal cases against Estrada. Desierto stresses the need for the high court to lift the TRO in order for them to expedite the investigation against the former president.
Persistent rumors of Estrada's planned escape abroad forces the Bureau of Immigration to alert seaport and airport security personnel to closely monitor the former president's presence. All government law enforcement units were also alerted amid the escape rumors.
Estrada, meanwhile, assures the government and the public that he will not escape. "Those are just rumors. I have said time and again, I was born here, I live here and I will die here so I do not have any intention whatsoever of leaving the country, unless for medical reasons."
March 10
Estrada reveals President Arroyo backed an asylum offer allegedly made by Secretary Perez. "She made a statement [that] it's my call if I want to leave the country," Estrada said.
March 22
Mark Jimenez submits a supplemental affidavit in support to his original affidavit where he claimed that he gave Estrada 10 checks totaling P346 million allegedly representing commissions and loans. In his supplemental affidavit, Jimenez clarified that the Equitable PCI Bank check no. 0110-370237 amounting to P126 million issued to cash and delivered to Estrada was an "advance of the commissions" that the ousted leader allegedly expected to receive from the proceeds of the sale of the Belle shares.
April 3
The Supreme Court voted 13-0 against Estrada appeal to reconsider its earlier decision that affirmed the legitimacy of Arroyo's presidency.
CHARGES AGAINST ESTRADA FILED
Estrada whistleblower and former drinking buddy Luis "Chavit" Singson (with lawyer Emigdio Tanjuatco). |
April 4
Estrada is indicted on charges of pocketing $82 million in kickbacks and payoffs during his 31 months in office.
Ombudsman Aniano Desierto said eight charges have been approved against Estrada. Among the charges are in connection with the former president's involvement in numerous plunder cases, the collection of excise tax diversion case, involvement in the BW Resources bourse scam, misrepresentation of his statement of assets and liabilities, illegal use of an alias Jose Velarde without authority, receipt of bribe money from the illegal numbers game jueteng, among others.
Desierto gives Ilocos Sur Luis "Chavit" Singson immunity from suit after being taken as prime state witness in the plunder charges.
The Ombudsman also dropped corruption charges against senators John Osmeña and Teresa Aquino-Oreta. The charges dropped were in connection with Singson's revelations that the two senators received P1 million each "balato" or kickback from from Estrada's jueteng payola.
April 6
Estrada's charges are raffled off to three divisions of the Sandiganbayan. The Sandiganbayan Third Division headed by Anacleto Badoy will hear the plunder complaints; the Fourth Division was given the graft case involving the diversion of P130 million in tobacco excise taxes; and the other charges were tasked to the First and Second divisions.
All the divisions are given 10 working days, starting April 9, to determine the complaints' probable cause. If probable cause is found, arrest warrants will be issued on Estrada.
April 10
The Supreme Court junks Estrada's petition seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) to prevent the Sandiganbayan from hearing the eight criminal charges filed against him by the Ombudsman. The court ruling paves the way for the Sandiganbayan to issue an arrest warrant on Estrada as soon as probable cause is determined.
April 11
The Office of the Ombudsman orders Estrada to answer charges that he committed plunder when he received billions in bribe money from his cronies, subsequently depositing these to the controversial Jose Velarde account. Overall Deputy Ombudsman Margarito Gervacio also orders Estrada's close associates to file their counter-affidavit within 10 days to claims they deposited millons in an Equitable-PCI bank account as "gifts" to Estrada.
April 16
The Sandiganbayan orders Estrada's arrest after finding probable cause to try the former president on charges in connection with allegations that he pocketed P130 million in tobacco excise tax kickbacks and for lying about his wealth while in office.
Estrada turns himself in at the anti-graft court hours after it issued his arrest order. Estrada posted a P30,000 bail for the graft charge and a P10,000 bail for the perjury case.
Sen. Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, the former president's son and co-accused. |
April 17
The Office of the Ombudsman says it will pull out five out of the eight cases it has lodged against Estrada due to technical reasons. Ombudsman Aniano Disierto explained that the plunder charge against the ousted leader encompasses all possible avenues of graft and corruption, which may have been committed by government official in his bid to accumulate illegal wealth.
The pulled out charges were Estrada's alleged violation of the Code of Conduct of Government Officials when he allegedly took P545 million in jueteng bribes, the four counts of graft in relation to the tobacco excise tax kickbacks, the investment of SSS and GSIS funds in firms owned by crony William Gatchalian, the BW insider trading scam and the distribution of his accumulated wealth to former first lady Luisa Ejercito, his son Jinggoy and friend Charlie "Atong" Ang.
ESTRADA ARRESTED, EDSA 3
April 25
Estrada is arrested by policemen form his residence in Polk Street, North Greenhills in San Juan at 3:15 p.m.
Hundreds of Estrada's supporter gather at the EDSA Shrine hours after his arrest. The supporters threatened to launch massive protests to force the government to release the former president.
Edward Serapio, lawyer of Estrada's Muslim Youth Foundation and co-accused in the plunder case. |
Lawyer Edward Serapio, a co-accused in the plunder charge against Estrada, voluntarily surrendered to Chief Supt. Nestorio Gualberto of the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Crame. Serapio, a former lawyer of Estrada, allegedly formed the dummy corporations that the former president used in irregular transactions.
The supporters' number gathered around EDSA Shrine grew at nightfall. This was after Estrada urged his supporters to calm down.
April 26
Loyalists gathered at the Edsa Shrine in support of Estrada extended their stay at the rally site despite a 9 p.m. deadline set for their dispersal by the Philippine National Police.
April 27
Task Force Libra is formed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines to thwart plans of a military uprising against President Arroyo.
The Camp Crame police installation in Quezon City is placed in full alert as pro-Estrada protesters in EDSA Shrine grew by the numbers.
Two thousand military men and two attack helicopters were placed on stand-by at Camp Aguinaldo in anticipation of any hostile move against the Arroyo administration.
Some pro-Estrada supporters during the May 1, 2001 siege. |
May 1
Hundreds of Estrada's supporters trooped from EDSA Shrine to Malacanang in an attempt to unseat President Arroyo. One was reported killed and scores were wounded in the riot.
Estrada and his son Jinggoy were airlifted from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City to Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
President Arroyo, alarmed by the attack in Malacanang, places Metro Manila in a state of rebellion.
May 9
The government asks Washington to arrest two Estrada co-defendants who are believed hiding in the United States. Secretary Perez said he received information that Charlie "Atong'' Ang, a gambling buddy of Estrada, is either in Las Vegas or Los Angeles while Yolanda Ricaforte, said to have been Estrada's auditor, is staying with relatives in California.
May 25, 2001
Joseph Estrada's counsel Rene Saguisag files a petition asking the Sandiganbayan to quash the perjury complaint against the deposed president. Saguisag, in a 10-page motion, said Ombudsman Aniano Desierto committed several blunders in filing the case against Estrada.
He said Desierto failed to establish that Estrada indeed refused to correct his allegedly falsified 1999 statement of assets and liabilities (SAL). He also maintained that the Ombudsman should have taken a cue from the Civil Service Commission before filing the criminal charge against Estrada, claiming that the CSC is the lead agency in the enforcement of Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Ethics for Government Officials and Employees.
The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan in Quezon City -- where the six-year legal battle ends on Wednesday, September 12. |
June 9
The Sandiganbayan denies Estrada's petition to be put under house arrest. The anti-graft court ordered the police to return Estrada to his special detention cell in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
June 10
Multi-sectoral groups announce the formation of "Plunder Watch" to ensure that the Estrada plunder trial progresses without a hitch.
June 22
The Sandiganbayan's First Division junks the motion to quash Estrada's perjury case.
June 26
Private prosecutor Leonard de Vera's resigns from the prosecution panel in the case against jailed ex-president Joseph Estrada. De Vera reportedly quit from the team to protest Desierto's alleged failure to handle the Estrada cases properly.
ESTRADA ARRAIGNED
June 27
Estrada declines to enter a plea during the arraignment of his perjury cases at the Sandiganbayan.
July 10
Estrada, his son Jinggoy and lawyer Edward Serapio refuse to enter their pleas on the plunder charges filed against them by the government.
A 'not guilty' plea was automatically entered by the Sandiganbayan on their behalf.
2006
Former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. and then-Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. |
January 9
Retired chief justice Hilario Davide Jr. snubs an invitation by defense lawyers to appear before the plunder trial at the Sandiganbayan. Estrada's lawyers has urged the anti-graft court to summon Davide to explain why he swore in then vice-president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to replace Estrada at the height of EDSA Dos uprising in January 2001.
January 24
Estrada appeals to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines to help him in his plunder case. In a five-page letter to the CBCP, Estrada said that Church leaders should still consider him in their prayers despite statements earlier that he could no longer lead the country because of dysfunctional personal morality and lost moral authority. The deposed leader likewise called on the CBCP to conduct a moral assessment and release a statement on his plight.
ESTRADA TESTIFIES
March 22
Estrada testifies for the first time in his five-year-old plunder case at the Sandiganbayan.
March 29
Deposed president Joseph Estrada denies pocketing P130 million in tobacco taxes and accused Luis "Chavit" Singson of stealing state funds. Estrada's lawyers present several documents to show that Singson was facing 11 graft cases for ghost projects and unliquidated cash advances.
The Sandiganbayan, meanwhile, issues gag orders on both camps. The anti-graft court says both camps have been violating the sub judice rule by making statements about the case before the media.
April 5
Former president Estrada denies taking P545 million in bribes from jueteng operators even as he stands by his pronouncements that he did not conspire with jueteng lords.
May 3
Estrada returns home for the first time in five years to attend the 101st birthday celebration of his mother, Dona Mary at No. 1 Polk Street in North Greenhills, San Juan.
May 24
Estrada tells the Sandiganbayan that it was businessman Jaime Dichaves who owned the infamous "Jose Velarde" account, which allegedly contained as much as P3.2 billion. Estrada, however, admits he once signed several bank documents using Jose Velarde to act as guarantor for the P500-million loan that businessman William Gatchalian was borrowing from Dichaves.
May 31
Estrada accuses politicians, generals and bishops of conspiring to depose him and claimed he rejected a deal to go into exile in exchange for immunity. Estrada has denied as politically motivated the charges in the five-year-old trial that he amassed about P4 billion from illegal gambling payoffs, tax kickbacks and commissions, as well as a perjury charge for allegedly underreporting his assets in 1999.
Special Prosecutor Dennis Villaignacio: Estrada's tormentor |
June 14
The justices hearing the plunder case of Joseph Estrada chastises Special Prosecutor Dennis Villaignacio for his ‘irrelevant’ line of questioning while cross-examining the former president. Villaignacio had asked Estrada how many wives he has and which wife he was referring to in one of the entries he made on his Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Estrada bluntly replied he had only one wife, Sen. Luisa ‘Loi’ Ejercito. He said her name is in his SAL.
Estrada, meanwhile, admits that he held undeclared bank accounts but said these were "campaign funds" he was holding in trust. Under cross-examination, Estrada 68, said that while he was president he had as much as P47.4 million in three bank accounts not declared in the statement of assets required of all public officials.
The Sandiganbayan junks the Estrada camp's plea to prevent Luis "Chavit" Singson from testifying as a rebuttal witness of the prosecution team.
June 21
Government prosecutors fail to prove before the Sandiganbayan that former president Joseph Estrada gave
"sovereign guarantee" to a foreign company during his administration. Presiding Justice Teresita de Castro junked the request of Special Prosecutor Dennis Villaignacio to show a footage that shows the former president signing a contract that gives IMPSA, an Argentinian company, a sovereign guarantee.
The Famous 3: The Sandiganbayan's Special Division magistrates led by Presiding Justice Teresita de Castro. |
| |
June 28
The prosecution ended its cross-examination without dealing thoroughly with the four complaints lodged against the deposed president. During the hearing, Special Prosecutor Dennis Villaignacio tried to impeach Estrada’s credibility by saying that he entered and signed the IMPSA deal, to prove that he had committed perjury and was capable of lying. The defense, however, was quick to object, arguing that collateral matters should not be allowed during the cross-examination, because Estrada is not just a witness but an accused and has a right against self-incrimination.
August 30
Lawyers of former president Joseph Estrada submits as evidence before the Sandiganbayan a copy of President Arroyo's statement of assets and liabilities and net worth (SALN). The lawyers said the copy should be marked as evidence to prove that Estrada did not commit perjury by submitting an incomplete SALN. The lawyers noted that Mrs. Arroyo's SALN is similar to Estrada's because she did not also clearly identified companies where she is a stockholder.
ANG RETURNS TO THE PHILIPPINES
Former Estrada gambling buddy Charlie "Atong" Ang. |
November 10, 2006
Charlie "Atong" Ang is finally extradited to the Philippines after almost six years of exile in the United States. His arrival raised speculations of his possible turning into state witness on former president Joseph Estrada's plunder case before the Sandiganbayan.
Ang, co-accused of Estrada in the plunder charge, was detained while he waits for his arraignment.
November 15
The Sandiganbayan Special Division enters a not guilty plea for Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang after refusing to enter a plea during his arraignment on plunder charges.
2007
January 24
Ang submits a motion for a plea bargaining agreement before the Sandiganbayan. He also admits his participation in the diversion of P130 million in tobacco excise tax intended for Ilocos Sur.
March 14
The Sandiganbayan approves the plea bargaining agreement of Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang. Ang retracted the “not guilty" plea he entered in January, replacing it with a guilty plea for the charge of corruption of public officials in relation to an indirect bribery case.
April 24
Special Prosecutor Dennis Villaignacio predicts a guilty verdict against former president Joseph Estrada. The prosecutor says Filipinos will finally witness the very first conviction ever of a Philippine president by late June or middle of July.
Estrada comes up with a statement, "I deserve to be free." He said in the statement that in his six years in detention, government prosecutors "miserably" failed to prove he committed plunder and perjury.
April 25
Special Prosecutor Dennis Villaignacio breaks news that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has found Yolanda Ricaforte, a co-accused of ousted president Joseph Estrada in his plunder case. Villaignacio says the government is open to plea bargaining agreement with Ricaforte.
May 25
The Sandiganbayan releases Charlie "Atong" Ang and places him on probation. Ang was ordered by the court to pay P25 million in managers check and participated in community service.
FINAL ARGUMENTS
June 15
The long wait starts after both camps presented their final arguments during the historic oral summation in former president Joseph Estrada's plunder trial.
Sept 12
The verdict will be handed down. The Estrada saga enters a new phase.
So does Philippine political history.
