Sandigan lets Erap attend birthday Mass

Ousted President Joseph Estrada has received permission from the Sandiganbayan to hear Mass to mark his 69th birthday before attending his ongoing plunder trial tomorrow.

Sandiganbayan sheriff Ed Urieta said Estrada would attend Mass at St. Peter’s Church near the anti-graft court along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City at 7:30 a.m.

Thereafter Estrada will proceed to the Sandiganbayan at 9:30 a.m. to testify in his own defense at his plunder and perjury trial.

The prosecution headed by Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa Ignacio told the court that they would not object to Estrada’s request to attend Mass on his birthday provided proper security arrangements were made with the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Tomorrow, Estrada is expected to continue answering questions from his lawyer, retired Manila fiscal Jose Flaminiano, who will resume with his direct examination.

Estrada’s security is expected to be tight as his supporters typically gather outside the church to try and catch a glimpse of him.

Supporters of Estrada have gathered outside St. Peter’s Church since he first took the witness stand last March 22.

The Sandiganbayan’s special division has ordered Estrada to testify every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a break from 12 noon to 2 p.m.

Chief Superintendent Vidal Querol, Metro Manila police commander, told reporters yesterday that he would deploy about 100 policemen near St. Peter’s to maintain peace and order.

Asked why a small number of policemen would be deployed, Querol said, "Birthday naman ng dating pangulo at alam naman nating hindi mababahiran ng karahasan ang araw na ito kaya hindi na tayo maglalagay ng napakaraming pulis (It’s the birthday of the former president, and we know that there would be no violence on that day so we did not deploy many policemen)."

However, Querol said a contingency force would be readied for any eventuality.

As early as Tuesday, his men had checked the vicinity of St. Peter’s to ensure the security of people who are expected to go there to show their support for the ousted leader, he added.

Estrada has denied the allegations of government star witness Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson that he received P130 million in kickbacks from the P200 million in tobacco excise tax allocated to the Ilocos Sur provincial government.

Estrada also rejected Singson’s allegation that he accepted payoffs from jueteng operators.

In previous testimony before the Sandiganbayan, Estrada said all the charges against him were "trumped-up," and that he had been "framed." — With James Mananghaya