Estrada’s court-named lawyers to stay

They stay until they’re told to leave.

The four court-appointed lawyers of deposed President Joseph Estrada will continue to represent him in the plunder trial unless the Sandiganbayan tells them to leave, the head of the anti-graft court hearing the case said.

Sandiganbayan special division presiding Justice Minita Chico-Nazario told defense lawyers Prospero Crescini, Noel Malaya and Irene Jurado that they cannot drop the Estrada case just because their client’s new lawyer, Alan Paguia, wants them to go. Defense counsel Manuel Pamaran was absent.

"For as long as you (de-officio counsels) are not relieved (of your duties), you will continue to act either as collaborating or de officio counsels," Nazario told Crescini in open court Friday. "It’s up to the court to approve (Paguia’s) entry of appearance."

Estrada’s son, Jinggoy, who faces the same offense as his father, told Sandiganbayan Justice Edilberto Sandoval that while his father decided to hire Paguia as his new counsel, he intends to "retain" the services of the court-appointed lawyers. The de-officio defense panel was instrumental in Jinggoy’s bail plea.

A highly-reliable source within the graft court disclosed that the justices have "instructed" them to research if there’s a law allowing both de parte and de officio lawyers to represent a client in a case pending in court.

Chief special prosecutor Dennis Villa Ignacio said they will vehemently oppose Paguia’s motion to dismiss the four court-appointed lawyers because such a move may further delay Estrada’s trial.

"We will insist that the de officio lawyers be retained. Because, if the court will allow it (Paguia’s motion), then it might take us not just two months, but six months to resume the trial," he said. "Lokohan na lang iyon. Hindi naman kami papayag ng ganoon, (That would just be nonsense. We cannot agree to that)."