NBI to call architects, contractors of Estrada mansions

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. approved last Wednesday the request of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into the records of the impeachment trial as part of its investigation on the alleged mansions of ousted President Joseph Estrada.

NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco told reporters yesterday his agents are now going through the statements of several witnesses who are in the custody of the Department of Justice.

"(The opening of the impeachment records on the mansions) will be very helpful in our investigations," he said.

Wycoco said the NBI is now preparing to summon the architects and contractors to shed light on allegations that Estrada owns the five mansions.

"If they will not cooperate with us, we will be forced to charge them with obstruction of justice," he said.

Before the impeachment trial, the NBI summoned the architects and contractors but they ignored the summons until the investigation was overtaken by the trial.

Justice Secretary Artemio Tuquero ruled at that time that any NBI investigation on the mansions could become subjudice as the impeachment trial was already going on.

After becoming NBI director last week, Wycoco ordered the NBI to investigate anew Estrada’s ownership of the mansions; the disappearance of public relations man Salvador "Bubby" Dacer; and the series of terrorist bombings in Metro Manila last Dec. 30.

Wycoco assigned Carlos Caabay, NBI deputy director for special investigations, to lead the team that will reopen the three controversial cases.

The five alleged mansions of Estrada are located at:

• 7771 Harvard street, Wack Wack Subdivision (1,162 square meters), registered in the name of FVC Realty and Development Corp. (owned by Lucio Co), and bought Aug. 8, 1998;

• 796-800 Harvard street, Wack Wack Subdivision (4,815 square meters), registered in the name of KB Space Holdings Inc., and bought in 1998;

•551 Harvard street, Wack Wack Subdivision (3,084 square meters), registered in the name of Verdant Forest Highlands, and bought on Dec. 29, 1997;

•973-975 Stanford street, Wack Wack Subdivision (2,327 square meters), registered in the name of Becks Resources Corp. (owned by Jose Yulo), and bought last June 2;

•100 11th Street, New Manila, Quezon City (7,145.92 square meters), owned by St. Peter Holdings Corp., and bought on Oct. 1, 1999. –Mike Frialde