Former Philippines President Estrada's Corruption Trial Continues

by Ma Nguyen Tong

30-10-2002

The more of the obfuscation in the Philippine's corrupt judicial system, transactions of the controversial Erap Muslim Youth Foundation bank account that was used as the pretext for the moves leading to the ouster of Philippines President Joseph Estrada, under the command of the US State Department, were legal and its 200 million peso fund did not come jeuteng, the former presidents defense panel said on October 2, 2002.

Lawyer Sabino Acut, counsel of lawyer Edward Serapio, former legal advisor and co-accused of former President Jospeph Estrada in the plunder and corruption case, presented in court the minutes of the foundation's meetings on June 5 and July 1, 2000, signed by treasurer George Go, showing the 200 million pesos was supposedly contributed by anonymous donors. At the time Go chaired the board of Equitable PCI Bank.

Acut said the minutes of the June 5, 2000 meeting also showed that 10 million pesos came from the Erap Cup golf tournament while the foundation's trustees personally donated 100,000 pesos. The trustees included Raul de Guzman, Estrada's brother-in-law and the foundation's chairman.

Acut said the minutes of the second meeting detailed the proposed mechanics for the evaluation of scholarship applications and set aside money for the grants. It was in this meeting, Acut said, that Go reported that the foundation had funds amounting to 200,090,201.10 pesos, exclusive of interest, at the Equitable PCI Bank Branch in Ortigas, and 10 million pesos at the United Coconut Planters Bank head office. Lawyer Raymund Fortun, Estrada's spokesman, said the documents clearly showed that the foundation was legitimate.