There are more than 200 cars registered in the name of Joseph Estrada, but only one, a vintage 1965 Cadillac, had the former president’s Polk St., San Juan address, a source at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) revealed yesterday.
“Only a 1965 model Cadillac was in the name of Joseph E. Estrada, of San Juan. The rest are scattered across the country,” the source told The STAR.
It was not determined if the Cadillac, with plate number PSY 878, is in running condition because LTO officials are still going over the list of vehicles of the former president, in compliance with the request of Sandiganbayan Sheriff Edgardo Urieta.
In his letter to Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Berroya, Urieta asked the LTO to furnish the Sandiganbayan with copies of vehicles in the name of Joseph Ejercito Estrada in connection with the Sandiganbayan forfeiture order.
“Asec Berroya will comply with the court order,” according to Fernando Quiambao, who received the letter for Berroya.
He added that they are still in the process of verifying their records.
A source at the LTO, however, said that an initial scan of the computer yielded more than 200 drivers’ licenses and vehicles registered in the name of Joseph Estrada but they are not sure if the former president owned the vehicles.
“There are plenty of Joseph Estradas,” the source said.
Estrada: I’m prepared to kill or be killed
Meanwhile, the Sandiganbayan yesterday started seizing Estrada’s assets after he failed to surrender his properties in compliance with the court’s imposition of penalties.
Urieta said they are also trying to look into Estrada’s Tanay rest house.
“We have started verifying the personal properties of Estrada. The Sheriff’s Office personnel have gone to the LTO to verify the ownership of his four vehicles. These are SUVs. These are the vehicles he is using. We will also ask the LTO about the registration of these vehicles to verify the ownership. If these belong to Estrada we will levy these also. These will be under the custody of the government. This means that these cannot be moved, sold, assigned, or transferred. These will not be confiscated yet, but will be parked probably in Estrada’s residence. These cannot be moved until we could sell these,” said Urieta.
Urieta said these vehicles should be under his name only. He clarified that if these are under a corporation, even if Estrada is an incorporator, these cannot be levied. “We will still check who are the other incorporators,” he said while noting that he would make a report on this to the justices.
On the other hand, Sandiganbayan spokesman lawyer Renato Bocar said that if these properties were transferred to avoid confiscation, there is still a legal way to seize these assets, including bank accounts.
Urieta said if there is no restraining order, or any order from the court to stop, he will continue seizing Estrada’s properties based on the order of the court. “I’m just doing my job,” he said, adding that there is no pressure from anyone.
“The only ones who could order me to stop the auction are the Sandiganbayan and the Supreme Court, not the Quezon City government. I will only follow the order of the court. Our job here is ministerial. This is not illegal. This is according to Rule 39 of the Rules of Court,” Urieta said.
The Sandiganbayan’s move to confiscate Estrada’s properties was made after the five-day grace period it issued had lapsed and Estrada failed to surrender the properties.
Urieta said that he will also ask the Commission on Audit (COA) to assess the value of the so-called Boracay mansion in New Manila, Quezon City. “We’ve written them a letter. This would be needed for the auction,” he said.
Bocar, in another interview, said the forfeiture of Estrada’s assets is not part of the condition of the pardon.
“It is not a condition that Estrada should surrender first the properties being forfeited. The only condition in the pardon was for him to accept it. The coverage of the pardon was only in the imprisonment aspect and not the forfeiture. It was not a condition of the pardon that he should first pay before he could enjoy the benefits of the pardon or before the pardon could take effect,” Bocar said.
He said all these issues on the forfeiture will be taken up on Friday during the hearing on the motion of the defense to quash the writ of execution on the forfeiture of the assets of Estrada, including the personal properties of the former president.
Estrada, in a statement, said he was prepared for a protracted legal battle and would exhaust all legal measures available to protect his ownership of properties acquired even before he became president.
Interviewed over an early morning radio news program yesterday, Estrada stressed that no forfeiture proceedings could be undertaken until such time that it was clearly proven that these assets were acquired while he was president.
“Under the Plunder Law, forfeiture refers only to 1) property used in the commission of a crime; 2) proceeds of the crime; and 3) property derived or traceable to the instrument of proceeds of the crime,” Estrada pointed out.
“So those properties which I acquired before becoming president are not subject to forfeiture. That’s very clear,” he added.
However, Estrada clarified that he had no intention of questioning the court’s decision ordering the forfeiture of money deposited in the account of the Erap Muslim Youth Foundation as well as the Boracay mansion.
“They can get it inasmuch as Chavit Singson already admitted that he donated P200 million to the Erap Muslim Youth Foundation,” he said.
“I am not taking the Boracay mansion because I’m not saying it’s mine. I sweat for all my properties, in fact that property in Tanay was acquired even before I became a mayor,” Estrada pointed out.
“That is why I’m prepared to fight. I’m prepared to kill or be killed,” said Estrada.
Estrada also clarified that he had divested himself of ownership of these properties even when he was still vice-president, and that a family corporation was the registered owner of his Polk St. home.
Even the ownership of his vehicles, currently the subject of an investigation by Urieta at the LTO, is under the same corporate name.
Estrada expressed bitterness at what he perceived as a continuing effort to persecute him.
Estrada said that all he was asking Urieta is to wait for the court’s decision on his motion to quash before taking any action.
“He shouldn’t be in hurry, anyway I’m prepared to obey the law,” Estrada said.
SALN says otherwise
But with all the millions that Estrada allegedly had in his possession, his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN) reflects that he had only over P33 million when he was President in 1998, as revealed in a document presented by Urieta.
The document revealed that as of Dec. 31, 1998, Estrada’s real property, which is part of his assets, was only about P9 million.
Part of the real property assets consists of a lot and building in Quezon City purchased in 1990 for P1 million. The value of its improvements was P4 million, or a total of P5 million for the Quezon City property.
Another is a residential property in San Juan acquired in 1993. This was valued in 1998 at P4 million after construction and renovation.
Total value of was estimated at P9 million.
For personal and other properties, Estrada reportedly had “Cash on Hand” in 1998 amounting to P5,035,363.40.
Estrada had “Marketable Securities” valued at P1,852,728.33 and an “Investment” valued at P15,292,250
“Other Receivables” were valued at P12,932,465.35. His “Furniture and Fixtures” were valued at P772,500.
Motor vehicles owned by Estrada were worth P1,500,000.
The personal and other properties part of the assets had a total value of P37,385,307.08.
In all, Estrada’s assets had a value of only P46,385,307.08 in 1998 when he became president.
Estrada’s liabilities were P12,946,016.47.
Thus, Estrada’s SALN was estimated at only P33,439,290.61.
The former president also declared some business interests, such as JELP Real Estate Development Corp., with business address in San Juan, reportedly owned by his wife Luisa “Loi” Ejercito and unnamed children. This was incorporated in 1992.
Another is J.E. Inc., with business address in Tanay, Rizal, also owned by Loi Ejercito and children, and incorporated in 1980.
Loi, on the other hand, owns Feluisa Dev. Corp., business address located in San Juan, and incorporated in 1984.
The document was submitted to the government in April 29, 1999.
The document might be used as a basis of their forfeiture proceedings against Estrada’s assets, which were allegedly acquired illegally. – Sandy Araneta