Erap guilty of plunder, sentenced to life imprisonment

Updated 9:49 a.m.) The Sandiganbayan meted out a guilty verdict againstformer President Joseph Estrada on plunder charges and sentenced him tolife imprisonment or reclusion perpetua. The ousted leader was allowedcontinued stay in his Tanay resthouse "until further notice."Magistrates "sentenc[ed] the accused, former President Joseph EjercitoEstrada, guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of plunder defined inand penalized by Republic Act 7080 as amended."As for his perjury charges, the former president was found not guilty. Theantigraft court also agreed to consider Estrada's six years in detention astime served for the offense.For their part, his son Sen. Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada and the ousted leader'slawyer Edward Serapio were acquitted of plunder charges.Estrada was accused of violating Republic Act No. 7080 for allegedlyreceiving P545-million protection money from jueteng operators; divertingP130-million tobacco excise tax share of Ilocos Sur; receivingP189.7-million kickback from Belle Corp. for GSIS, SSS purchase ofP1.8-billion worth of shares of stocks and maintaining P3.23-billion "JoseVelarde" account with Equitable-PCIBank Binondo, Manila branchHe was also charged with perjury or violation of Article 183, Revised PenalCode for alleged false declaration of his 1999 Statement of Assets,Liabilities and Net Worth.The verdict only covered accused Estrada, Jinggoy and Serapio as otherco-accused were still at large have not been arraigned yet. The otheraccused were Yolanda Ricaforte, Jaime Dichaves, Alma Alfaro, Eleuterio Tanand Delia Rajas.According to court procedures, a trial cannot proceed unless an accused hasbeen arraigned.The cases of the other accused will be archived until the court acquiresjurisdiction over them through arrest or surrender.Meanwhile, another accused, Charlie "Atong" Ang was sentenced March thisyear to up to six years in prison on charges of corruption of a publicofficial after entering a plea bargaining agreementHe admitted delivering part of P130 million tobacco excise tax funds toEstrada's Greenhills residence and pocketing P25 million, which he wouldreturn to the government by offering his family's mansion at CorinthianGardens in Quezon City in lieu of cash.The plunder trial started on October 1, 2001, a little more than fivemonths after Estrada was arrested in April 25 that same year.At least 71 prosecution witnesses were presented throughout the Estradaplunder trial which include Juetenggate whistleblower and Ilocos Sur Gov.Luis "Chavit" Singson, who testified between July and September 2002; starwitness Clarissa Ocampo, who testified in November 2002 and bank officials.The government lawyers rested their case in April 2003.Estrada's lawyers started presenting their witnesses a year later. Amongtheir 76 witnesses called by the graft court from September 2004 to June2006 were bank officials, politicians, newspaper reporters, formerjustices, a prominent clergyman, and senator Jinggoy Estrada.Estrada himself took the witness stand 11 times from March to June 2006.Both the prosecution and the defense panels presented their closingarguments on June 15, 2007.Estrada has been detained for more than six years, while the plunder trialis ongoing. He has been allowed to visit his ailing 102-year-old mother,Doña Mary Ejercito, on some occasions. - GMANews.TVPlaintiff's Memorandum for Crim. Case No. 26558 (Plunder), People of thePhilippines vs. Joseph Ejercito Estrada, et.al.