Government ready for ‘false’ defense witnesses

Government prosecutors will present "reserve witnesses" in the plunder trial of ousted President Joseph Estrada if defense witnesses give false testimonies.

Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio said most of these witnesses are newspaper reporters and broadcast journalists to whom Estrada had made "slip ups" and other indiscretions.

"We have reserve witnesses just in case defense witnesses testify falsely," he said, "And we are already preparing for the presentation of defense witnesses. Most (reserve witnesses) are from the media because they have integrity and are credible."

Villa-Ignacio said broadcast journalist Twink Macaraig testified in the impeachment trial in 2000 that Estrada admitted in a press conference that he had received P200 million from the Erap Muslim Youth Foundation.

In a television program, Estrada also told host Pia Hontiveros that he signed as "Jose Velarde" in a P500-million trust account in Equitable PCI Bank, he added.

Villa-Ignacio said they are confident they can have Estrada convicted of plunder, illegal use of alias and perjury because the bulk of the prosecution’s evidence are bank records, the integrity of which could not be questioned.

"We have presented more than enough evidence to convict Estrada," he said. "We have established his guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Almost all of these are bank records and it’s very difficult to fabricate bank records."

However, defense lawyers said the government failed to prove anything, and most of their evidence were hearsay and that the documents they have presented were "mere photocopies."

The prosecution rested its case last April 9, presenting more than 700 pieces of evidence and 76 witnesses, after almost two years of trial. – Delon Porcalla