Prosecutors want Estrada to join Nur

Is three a crowd if misery loves company?

Ousted President Joseph Estrada and his son Jinggoy may be forced to share the same jail with renegade former governor Nur Misuari, a court official said yesterday.

Deputy Special Public Prosecutor Robert Kallos asked the Sandiganbayan yesterday to order the return of the Estradas to their original detention place at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, where Misuari is now detained following his repatriation by Malaysia last Monday.

Kallos said the Estradas should be detained in the jail built specially for them, and not in the presidential suite of the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City.

"By reason of the denial of the petition for house arrest, the accused Estradas should now be transferred from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center to Fort Sto, Domingo, Sta. Rosa, Laguna, the place where they have been confined before," he said.

Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said the Estradas and Misuari will each have a cell in the detention place at Fort Sto. Domingo to make them comfortable.

"We might decide to put up another detention cell in the area," he said. "Then they will be neighbors."

The Sandiganbayan was supposed to order the Estradas’ transfer to the Fort Sto. Domingo jail but no resolution had been promulgated after Justice Anacleto Badoy, third division chairman, reported that the draft had been stolen.

No decision has yet been released because the Supreme Court had ordered Badoy to go on indefinite leave pending the filing of administrative charges against him.

Last May, the Sandiganbayan ordered the Estradas temporarily detained in the VMMC after they complained about their health.

Kallos also asked the anti-graft court to immediately set Estrada’s arraignment and pre-trial for illegal use of alias and perjury.

Kallos also moved for the Sandiganbayan to issue warrants for the arrest of Estrada’s co-accused in the plunder case: Jaime Dichaves, Victor Jose Tan Uy alias Eleuterio Tan, Eleuterio Ramos Tan, and a certain Mr. Uy.

Meanwhile, Estrada has invoked his right to be present at his trial for plunder on Jan. 24.

In a motion filed through his lawyer, former senator Rene Saguisag, Estrada asked the Sandiganbayan to allow him to attend the trial.

Estrada also asked the anti-graft court to immediately resolve his motion to be allowed to travel to the United States so he can undergo surgery on his knees.

In another development, Perez said he will ask Chief Justice Hilario Davide to allow the transfer of the venue of Misuari’s trial from Jolo, Sulu to Sta. Rosa in Laguna or at Fort Sto. Domingo.

"Preferably, we want the trial to be done inside Fort Sto. Domingo or if not, at the Sta. Rosa, Laguna regional trial court," he said.

"This is because it is near the detention place. It’s a lesser security risk and the PNP is lacking in personnel in providing security to personalities who are facing charges now. So we asked (the Supreme Court) that a change of venue be allowed."

Perez said he will seek an audience with Davide today. — With Delon Porcalla