Gov’t lawyers welcome two new Estrada lawyers

Government prosecutors welcome the possible appointment of two former lawyers of ousted President Joseph Estrada in the impeachment trial as his counsels in the plunder suit before the Sandiganbayan.

Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio said they have no problem with former Manila prosecutor Jose Flaminiano and lawyer Cleofe Verzola replacing court-appointed counsel Prospero Crescini, who had quit because of differences with Alan Paguia, Estrada’s lawyer of choice.

"They may even add two more, or they may appoint the original team of Estrada," he said. "They’re all welcome. The more, the merrier."

However, lawyer Orlando Mendiola, general counsel of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, said the Special Division has yet to name Crescini’s replacement, and that they had merely recommended Flaminiano and Verzola, pursuant to the anti-graft court’s order of Aug. 20.

"This recommendation is being made in view of Attorney Flaminiano’s and Attorney Verzola’s familiarity with this case," he said.

Noel Malaya, one of Estrada’s court-appointed lawyers, said he would prefer Flaminiano to take the place of Crescini, not only because he worked with him in the 1994 Manila Film Festival scam, but he is a veteran criminal lawyer and familiar with the Estrada case.

Earlier, retired Sandiganbayan presiding justice Manuel Pamaran and Crescini vowed to defend Estrada "at all cost" as they rebuked Estrada’s spokesman, lawyer Raymund Fortun, for "muddling the issue" and "jeopardizing" their legal standing before the anti-graft court.

"We will not be guided by their announcements that Erap will go to Muntinlupa," said Crescini and Pamaran.

"Can you imagine if Erap is convicted because he didn’t present evidence? That will reflect on our performance."

Crescini said contrary to the "lies being peddled" by his spokesman, Estrada wants to be acquitted of the plunder charges and be redeemed from the "havoc" his political career has suffered.

"We will defend (Erap) mightily at our own cost," he said. "They (Estrada’s hand-picked lawyers) cannot dictate on us what to do. We can’t work with some of them."

Fortun told reporters earlier Estrada was bent on waiving his right to present evidence in his favor in court.

Crescini said he had to apologize to the three justices of the Special Division because of the "improper remarks" of Fortun, insisting they had nothing to do with the "contemptuous" statement.

"We were slighted by the press conference because (Fortun) has no legal personality to speak of in the first place," he said. "We wash our hands off as far as whatever the de parte counsels may have stated," he told the Special Division in open court.

Crescini denied Fortun’s claim that the court-appointed lawyers and Estrada’s hand-picked counsel have not been conferring about the case.

"(Fortun) better shut up," he told reporters. "This is a court of law. We are apolitical. What he has been saying in the media is just pure propaganda."

He and some of Estrada’s hand-picked lawyers have been meeting on what strategy to take when it is time to present evidence in court, Crescini added.