Solons seek prosecution of 2 Estrada pals

Two House leaders sought yesterday the prosecution of two businessmen-friends of ousted President Joseph Estrada for their reported involvement in the disgraced leader’s P3.23 billion alleged Jose Velarde account.

In Resolution 455, Deputy Speaker for Visayas Raul Gonzalez and Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo I (Lakas, Valenzuela), defense committee vice chairman, said the authorities should investigate and prosecute William Gatchalian, who controls the Wellex group of companies, and George Go, former chairman of Equitable-PCI Bank.

"By former President Estrada’s own admission, the two were privy to the Jose Velarde account," the two said.

Quoting the disgraced leader, the authors said it was Go who sent Clarissa Ocampo, who was then Equitable vice president for trust accounts, to Malacañang for Estrada to sign bank documents covering a P500-million loan to Gatchalian.

The former president has admitted signing these documents using the false name Jose Velarde, but claimed that he signed not as owner of the Velarde account but as loan guarantor.

Gonzalez and Gunigundo said Go and Gatchalian should be asked to explain the Velarde account and the huge loan to the Wellex group’s owner.

The two should be asked to testify on the account where the loan was taken and which at one time held P3.23 billion, they said.

Estrada’s admission that he signed bank documents as Jose Velarde and his decision to dismiss his lawyers continued to draw criticism from congressmen yesterday.

"His tirades that he’s facing a biased court are meant to extricate his foot from his mouth," Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri (Lakas, Bukidnon) said.