RP prosecutor issue writs for more Estrada accounts<\/p>\n
MANILA (Agencies): Corruption investigators ordered on Friday
\nthe local unit of U.S. lender Citibank NA to surrender records of
\ndeposits of ousted Philippines leader Joseph Estrada, who faces a
\nbarrage of lawsuits.<\/p>\n
Ombudsman Aniano Desierto said these \"would be used in
\nconnection with the investigation relating to the statement of
\nassets and liabilities\" of the former president, who has been
\naccused of having US$400 million in ill-gotten wealth.<\/p>\n
Citibank must produce records on a three-million-dollar
\nforeign currency deposit \"already admitted by the former
\npresident,\" and which was frozen by the internal revenue bureau
\nlast month, he added.<\/p>\n
A day earlier, the ombudsman had ordered nine local banks to
\nopen up for scrutiny accounts allegedly held by the fallen
\nleader. The banks have until Thursday to comply.<\/p>\n
Desierto vowed to carry out swift justice on Estrada, who
\ncould face the death penalty if found guilty of plunder. Desierto
\nsaid the graft probe of Estrada would wind up \"in 30 days or even
\nless.\"<\/p>\n
Estrada had until Monday to answer criminal complaints of
\namassing illegal wealth, but he has challenged the legality of
\nthe inquiry and the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the
\ncase next Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"We are all doing overtime. We need more people, but some of
\nthese cases have been moving fast. They are even complaining that
\nwe are railroading the cases,\" Desierto said.<\/p>\n
He vowed that the criminal cases would not end up like those
\nagainst former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, which are languishing
\nin courts nearly 15 years after his ouster under a similar
\nmilitary-backed popular revolt in 1986.<\/p>\n
Desierto stressed that the 63-year-old former movie star
\nEstrada and his family are barred from leaving the country.
\nMarcos died in exile in Hawaii in 1989 and was never prosecuted.<\/p>\n
None of the Marcos relatives or allies has been jailed for
\nallegedly stealing billions of dollars from state coffers during
\nhis 20-year rule.<\/p>\n
Rumors swirled in the capital on Friday that Estrada planned
\nto flee the Philippines.<\/p>\n
Estrada told the Malaya newspaper in an exclusive interview
\nthat he would likely seek permission to fly to the United States
\nnext month for eye treatment, but that he would not agree to
\nbanishment.<\/p>\n
The private complainants in the cases alleged he amassed 200
\nmillion dollars in secret bank accounts and acquired another 200
\nmillion dollars' worth of properties held by mistresses, dummy
\ncorporations or cronies.<\/p>\n
Estrada has not claimed these accounts but Desierto said that
\nif the bank accounts were truly in his name, that would be enough
\nevidence of guilt.<\/p>\n
\"It is impossible. In this country, you cannot earn that much
\nlegally,\" Desierto said.<\/p>\n
Estrada declared a net worth of 35.9 million pesos
\n(US$737,000) last year and he could be charged if he did not
\ninclude the accounts in the statement, the ombudsman added.<\/p>\n
Estrada went on trial in the Senate after Congress impeached
\nhim for graft, bribery, betrayal of public trust and culpable
\nviolation of the constitution.<\/p>\n
But the Senate failed to hand down a verdict last month,
\nsparking a military-backed popular revolt that toppled him.<\/p>\n
Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said the evidence from the
\nbanks would bolster the earlier charges from the Senate trial
\nthat Estrada received bribes from illegal gambling rackets,
\nembezzled government funds and was linked to a firm involved in
\nan insider-trading scandal.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo swore in 11
\nsecretaries and her vice president in a brief ceremony on Friday,
\nfilling out her Cabinet after three weeks in office.<\/p>\n
Vice President Teofisto Guingona, nominated on Tuesday and
\nconfirmed by Congress a day later, called his swearing in \"a
\ngreat honor. I hope I can live up to the trust the people have
\ngiven me.\"<\/p>\n
Guingona, 72, will likely also serve as the secretary of
\nforeign affairs.<\/p>\n
Arroyo swore in two secretaries who served under her
\npredecessor, Joseph Estrada, but resigned late last year after
\ncorruption allegations surfaced against him.<\/p>\n
After his swearing in on Friday, Trade and Industry Secretary
\nManuel Roxas occupies the position he held before resigning last
\nyear from Estrada's Cabinet. Filemon Uriarte was also reappointed
\nto the Department of Science and Technology.<\/p>\n
The Cabinet members are also expected to sign in coming days
\nan oath, drafted by the president, pledging \"respect for others,\"
\na simple lifestyle and focusing on the poor, among other things.<\/p>",
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