Estrada postpones filing of libel suit

Jailed former President Joseph Estrada postponed yesterday his plan to file a P100-million libel suit against military intelligence chief Col. Victor Corpus who has accused him of money laundering.

A lawyer for Estrada, Felix Carao, said their team decided to defer the filing of the libel suit because they still had to settle various contentious issues.

"We have our own different opinions that should first be settled. That is why we are meeting," Carao said, referring to a meeting of Estrada lawyers held last night.

Security concerns, Carao said, also had a part in the decision to defer the filing of the charges and added that since the libel suit was a civil case, Estrada’s presence was not required.

"He (Estrada) could file his affidavit at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (where he is confined). The fiscal’s office may just bring the necessary documents to be signed by Estrada," Carao said.

According to Philippine National Police (PNP) community relations chief Director Thompson Lantion, more than 1,000 policemen were deployed as a security detail for Estrada.

Police had earlier said that it cost the government hundreds of thousands of pesos to provide the logistics for Estrada’s security every time he leaves the VMMC.

The Sandiganbayan on Tuesday granted Estrada a furlough from detention to file the libel suit against Corpus, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and two of its editors.

The threatened suit stems from an intelligence report that Corpus had leaked to the Inquirer, claiming that Estrada and ex-national police chief turned Sen. Panfilo Lacson laundered some $728.5 million dollars in US, Canadian and Hong Kong banks.

According to Corpus, the funds were allegedly raised from criminal activities since 1996, including drug trafficking and kidnapping.

The Sandiganbayan’s third division, which is trying the capital charge of plunder against Estrada, gave Estrada until the end of business hours yesterday to file the suit.

But government lawyers urged the Sandiganbayan to recall Estrada’s furlough because Estrada need not be present during the filing of the case.

In an urgent motion for reconsideration, prosecutors said Estrada failed to furnish them a copy of their motion and only learned of the court’s resolution two hours before the end of business Tuesday.

The prosecutors also noted the "immense logistical requirements required in moving the accused former president" and concerns over his safety.