Manila to file another case against Estrada

Manila to file another case against Estrada

MANILA (Reuters): The Philippines said on Monday it would file
a case of economic plunder, which is punishable by death, against
ousted president Joseph Estrada over almost four million dollars
he allegedly received from state pension funds.

Justice Secretary Hernando Perez told reporters the case,
involving 189 million pesos ($3.98 million) of commission, would
be submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday for
investigation.

Estrada was not immediately available for comment on the case
but has previously denied all allegations of corruption.

It is based on affidavits submitted to government lawyers by
two former Estrada appointees -- Carlos Arellano, former
administrator of the Social Security System (SSS), and Federico
Pascual, former general manager of the Government Service
Insurance System (GSIS).

Both were appointed to the helm of the two state pension funds
by Estrada during his 22-month presidency from June 1998 to
January 2001.

"This is about GSIS and SSS...plunder (cases) also," Perez
said. "The amount of the commission, just the commission, was
189,700,000 pesos."

"These are different transactions. What's important is that
all these moneys were given in consideration of some actions and
favors from Mr. Estrada," Perez said.

Ombudsman Aniano Desierto is already considering eight cases
of corruption and economic plunder against Estrada. None have yet
been filed in court because of a restraint order by the Supreme
Court.

Desierto, in an urgent motion for clarification on Monday,
asked the court to lift its restraining order on the
investigation and filing of graft, corruption and economic
plunder charges against Estrada. Plunder is an offense punishable
by death.

The Supreme Court issued the restraining order while deciding
on a petition by Estrada arguing he was still the president and
therefore immune from lawsuits. But the court dismissed the
petition 13-0 on Friday although it has given the former movie
actor 15 days to appeal.

On Monday, Estrada's lawyer Rene Saguisag said the ousted
leader would most probably ask the Supreme Court to reconsider
its unanimous decision affirming the legitimacy of the government
of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
"The fight goes on," Saguisag said.

Estrada was scheduled to meet his lawyers later on Monday and
was trying to take the setback "in his stride," he said.
"In all probability, we will move for reconsideration," he said.
"The odds are more daunting than ever but we hope the Supreme
Court will keep an open mind."

He said the court decision against Estrada was "not totally
unexpected," adding that "a new president usually gets a free
pass in his or her first judicial challenge."
"I am on record that our chances of winning were less than a
snowball's chance of surviving in hell."

Newspapers have said Estrada might be planning to flee the
country as events turned against him but he has said he will not.
"I will never flee. I will never leave the motherland," he told
village leaders in Manila on Sunday.

Estrada's wife Luisa "Loi" Ejercito Estrada, campaigning for a
seat in the Senate, reiterated that neither she nor her husband
would attempt to flee the country.

"President Estrada is staying. He has said that since he was
born here, he will stay here and die here. The same thing goes
for this lady," she said in a statement.

Predicting a massive win for the opposition coalition party in
the upcoming May congressional elections, she said: "The results
of the election will be a more effective judgment on Estrada than
the Supreme Court decision."