Estrada to push through with Brunei trip for APEC summit

President Estrada still plans to attend a meeting of leaders from Pacific Rim nations in Brunei next month despite a worsening political crisis over alleged gambling payoffs, an official said yesterday.

"As far as I know, he is going. I have not received any other information," Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon told reporters.

Leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum are meeting in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei’s capital, in the middle of November for talks on free trade and globalization.

Among those expected to attend are US President Bill Clinton and Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

Mr. Estrada has been under increasing pressure to step down after being accused by a provincial governor early this month of pocketing millions of pesos in gambling payoffs and a cut from tobacco taxes. He has denied the allegations.

An impeachment complaint has been filed against Mr. Estrada in the House of Representatives.

When the scandal broke out early this month, Mr. Estrada canceled a trip to South Korea for a meeting of Asian and European leaders and sent Siazon instead.

APEC, established in 1989, aims to achieve free trade and investment among its members by 2020.– AP, Aurea Calica