Estrada used housing chief to buy Boracay, says government lawyers

Ousted President Estrada utilized the personal bank account of one of his Cabinet members in purchasing the controversial "Boracay mansion" in Quezon City, state prosecutors claimed yesterday.

Senior State Prosecutor Alexander Padilla said Estrada used the account of former Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) chairman Jose Luis Yulo in laundering a total of P142 million later used to purchase the 7,149 square-meter mansion in New Manila, Quezon City.

In presenting the prosecution’s 59th witness at the plunder trial of Estrada before the Sandiganbayan yesterday, Padilla told the anti-graft court that the former chief executive used the Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) Greenhills branch account of Yulo in purchasing the property.

The prosecutors presented Christine Marie Acero Tabo, assistant manager of BPI Greenhills, who testified that a P142-million check was deposited in Yulo’s account on Oct. 6, 1999.

Tabo said the deposited check belonged to the Jose Velarde account at the Equitable PCI branch in Binondo, Manila.

Two days later, Yulo withdrew the account and purchased three manager’s checks to cover the amount.

"Mr. Yulo was one of our depositors. He opened his account in our branch in Greenbelt on Jan. 28, 1998 with an initial deposit of P50,000. The account of Mr. Yulo is now closed," Tabo said.

Padilla explained to the court that the three manager’s checks were issued by Yulo to St. Peter’s Holdings Corp. which, according to him, was a dummy corporation owned by Estrada.

The court-appointed lawyers of the former president, however, opposed the presentation of Tabo as a prosecution witness.

Former anti-graft court presiding justice Manuel Pamaran pointed out the Boracay mansion was never mentioned in the original and the amended complaint. He also described Tabo’s testimony is "irrelevant, impertinent and immaterial."

"Allowing the testimony of this witness (Tabo) in Estrada’s case will allow the prosecution to prove other matters that are not included in the information," Pamaran said.

Assistant Ombudsman Dennis Villa-Ignacio, however, defended Tabo’s testimony in claiming the prosecution panel is trying to establish that Estrada has used his ill-gotten wealth in purchasing various properties as a means to launder his ill-gotten money.

"The Boracay mansion has been the subject of the attachment order of the court, your honor," Villa-Ignacio said.

The court noted the argument made by Pamaran but allowed the testimony of Tabo on the record.