Erap Trial

**Devastator** · June 15th, 2007 11:28 PM

After 6 long years natapos na rin yung trial. Next is the verdict.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/46752/Er...t-by-September

Erap plunder trial ends, verdict out by September
06/15/2007 | 05:38 PM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us The trial proper of former President Joseph Estrada’s plunder and perjury case ended Friday afternoon as the prosecution and defense panels finished giving their closing arguments before the Sandiganbayan.

The seven-hour trial adjourned shortly after prosecution lawyers declined to rebut the closing arguments presented by defense lawyers.

In a television interview, Estrada expressed confidence he would be exonerated, saying prosecutors lodged “trumped-up charges."

A verdict is expected in 90 days or by September.

Plaintiff's Memorandum for Crim. Case No. 26558 (Plunder), People of the Philippines vs. Joseph Ejercito Estrada, et.al.

• TOC PLAINTIFF’S MEMORANDUM
• PLAINTIFF’S MEMORANDUM
• NOTES ON PLUNDER CLOSING STATMENTS
Estrada's lawyers gave their rebuttal starting Friday noon of plunder and perjury charges lodged against the ousted leader in closing arguments before the Sandiganbayan.

After a brief recess, lawyer Estelito Mendoza started the rebuttal for Estrada's camp, which was been given three hours to present its case.

Radio station dzBB reported that Mendoza asserted that the prosecution failed to prove Estrada's guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The lawyer again denied that Estrada received payoffs from the jueteng illegal numbers game.

He said the ousted leader did not benefit from the alleged diversion of tobacco excise taxes and that it is not true that Estrada is "Jose Velarde", whom witness Clarissa Ocampo had said he signed in a bank account.

The Sandiganbayan went on a lunch break after Mendoza's presentation.

Lawyers Rene Saguisag and Jose Flaminiano are due to give a further rebuttal of the charges against Estrada.

Earlier in the day, prosecution lawyers accused former Estrada of lying on his net worth and the number of companies he owns.

State prosecutor Julio Olaguer said the ousted leader made false declarations in his statements of asset, liabilities and net worth (SALNs). He said the prosecution had proven Estrada owned nine companies and not three as the accused had claimed.

Olaguer started his summation of the perjury charge against Estrada by saying "lying is a sin" and closed it with the oft-used saying "honesty is the best policy."

The prosecution in the plunder case of former President Joseph Estrada started their summation on Friday, 9:20 a.m. refuting the defense panel's argument that politics was behind the ousted leader's indictment.

Earlier in the hearing, Chief Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio said Estrada's lawyers wasted pages on "moot and academic" matters by alleging politics was behind the former President's indictment.

Villa-Ignacio reiterated allegations of Estrada receiving payoffs from jueteng, diversion of tobacco excise tax as alleged by former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit" Singson, irregularities in the purchase of stocks in Belle Corp. owned by Estrada associate Dante Tan by state pension firms GSIS and SSS, and the existence of the Jose Velarde bank accounts.

Estrada arrived Friday 8 a.m. at the Sandiganbayan building along Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City for the closing arguments of his case.

Popularly known as "Erap", Estrada was elected President in 1998 but was impeached in late 2000 over payoffs he allegedly recieved from the jueteng illegal numbers game. His six-year term was cut short in January 2001 when he was ousted in the "EDSA 2" bloodless uprising.

Estrada was arrested in April 2001 and has since been detained while facing plunder and perjury charges. -GMANews.TV

**oldblue** · June 16th, 2007 01:02 AM

sana mapakawalan na sya, at maging Presidente ulit ng Pilipinas

joks lang hehehe

**jeffrocks** · June 16th, 2007 01:36 AM

Originally Posted by oldblue

sana mapakawalan na sya, at maging Presidente ulit ng Pilipinas

joks lang hehehe

oo nga,at lahat ng senador ay GO kasama sina loi at jv,ang galing siguro 'no?

**OTEP** · June 16th, 2007 01:39 AM

Originally Posted by oldblue

sana mapakawalan na sya, at maging Presidente ulit ng Pilipinas

joks lang hehehe

Sounds funny, but with the trend of local politics, this scenario is not impossible

**Hero** · June 16th, 2007 01:58 AM

90 days of "negotiation" begins... calm before the storm..

**alwayz_yummy** · June 16th, 2007 08:23 AM

panu kung innocent? forfeited na yun 3 years na dapat para sa kanya parin?

**carz_zoom** · June 16th, 2007 10:59 AM

jueteng money ang pinagmulan nang issue.

hanggang ngayon naman ay may jueteng pa rin.

kanino kaya ngayon ibinibigay ang jueteng money?

anak ng jueteng na buhay ito oh.

**Devastator** · June 16th, 2007 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by alwayz_yummy

panu kung innocent? forfeited na yun 3 years na dapat para sa kanya parin?

Hindi ba lumipas na yung dapat na magiging last 3 years niya kung sakali? Anyways, IMHO whatever the verdict may be GMA should brace herself for what would happen next. An uprising (God forbid) might just be looming on the horizon.

**Syuryuken** · June 16th, 2007 11:48 AM

Parang mas magulo....

**alwayz_yummy** · June 16th, 2007 11:49 AM

eto lang sa akin, not na kampi ako, pero tignan natin ang facts-> erap has a lesser choice to use goverment money kasi nga dahil jueteng lord daw siya. ano ba ang jueteng-sugal, tinatayaan ng ordinaryong tao, ano pinagkaiba sa lotto/sweepstakes aside na legal ang lotto/sweepstakes.

o nag-cacasino, bakit sinong govt official ang HINDI nag cacasino?

GMA-di jueteng lord, pero c mike, at mga pamilya nya, sangkot saan->mga gov't scams...wag na natin kaila, nung nascandal si erap, bumaba siya, bakit si GMA, di bumitaw sa power para harapin ang charges sa kanya...

wala lang just a thought, doest mean na pro erap ako, ha...