Estrada anticipating conviction in plunder trial, says Chavit

Former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson said deposed President Joseph Estrada is anticipating his conviction in his plunder case in the Sandiganbayan because the government has an air-tight case against him.

"Ina-anticipate na niya ang pagkatalo niya sa kaso (He is anticipating his defeat in the case)," Singson said in a 30-minute interview on Channel 2’s Isyu program Thursday night.

Singson, the prosecution’s star witness against Estrada, claimed that the former president’s camp, sensing a conviction, has allegedly been resorting to propaganda to project his cause.

"Siguradong guilty siya dahil documented lahat (For sure, he is guilty because everything is documented)," he added.

He said Estrada’s court-appointed lawyers, whom he claimed are "better" than the original ones, are supposedly convinced they have a losing case.

He said he was cross-examined for almost two months — which he tagged as "the longest in history" — but that he was able to withstand the grilling by lawyers Prospero Crescini and Manuel Pamaran.

"Tumagal ako dahil credible ako. Kung bulok ang testigo ay di tatagal (I withstood it because I am credible. A witness will crack under pressure if he is a liar)," he said.

"All I did was to tell the truth. Di ako nagsinungaling (I did not lie)," he added.

Singson named two newspapers which he alleged were being used by Estrada in his propaganda war. "Ipinamimigay pa niya ang mga ito ng libre (He is even giving out copies of these papers for free)," he said.

Meanwhile, Singson said the Save Ilocos Sur Alliance (SISA), which has filed graft complaints against him, some of which have been dismissed, is composed of people who got defeated in past elections.

He said he cannot satisfy everybody in his province, hinting that his critics were sour-graping against him.

"Maingay lang sila pero kakaunti sila (They are just noisy but they are only a few)," he said.