Chavit’s ‘P130 million’ tale reenacted today

Former President Joseph Estrada’s corruption trial will be held today at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) — not outside his residence as requested by defense lawyers.

Defense attorneys will try to disprove prosecution allegations that P130 million in bribe money was once delivered to Estrada at his Greenhills, San Juan home just months after he assumed office in 1998.

Today’s demonstration is being held at the BSP so that real money can be used.

Demonetized (or out-of-currency) bills were supposed to be used in a demonstration held outside Estrada’s residence two weeks ago but the BSP lacked enough bills for the purpose.

"They destroy money once (it is) demonetized," lead defense lawyer Rene Saguisag said.

Instead, prosecution and defense lawyers along with the justices of the Sandiganbayan special division visited San Juan in order to inspect the street outside Estrada’s residence and to recreate the events on the day the money was allegedly delivered.

Defense lawyers seek to discredit the testimony of Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson, the prosecution’s main witness, who alleged that Estrada associate Charlie "Atong" Ang once delivered P130 million in cash to Estrada.

Defense attorneys said this claim was "highly improbable," contending that P130 million in P1,000 bills would weigh approximately 130 kilos.

They will test their argument in today’s hearing, meant to show that such an amount of cash was too heavy for one person to carry at one time across a certain distance.

Prosecutors point out, however, that Singson said the money was delivered in batches by Ang and his aides — not carried by one person in a single delivery. Singson allegedly saw Ang drive up to the Estrada house to deliver the money.

Each side in the case claimed the inspection of the street outside Estrada’s residence bolstered their respective claims.

"The defense has, in fact, helped us. We have seen that a vehicle turning right can be very visible, that Singson saw the car entering the gate (of Estrada’s house)," lead prosecutor Dennis Villa Ignacio told reporters.

Estrada lawyers saw things differently. "It disproved the testimony of Singson. We believe the inspection will tend to prove that Singson was not in a position to see what he saw," said lawyer Jose Flaminiano.