Erap trial suspended for a month

Ousted President Joseph Estrada’s plunder trial was suspended for a month starting yesterday to give his lawyers time to prepare him for his court appearance on March 15.

Last Monday, the anti-graft court’s special division granted in open court the defense’s request to suspend the hearing for a month.

Former chief Manila fiscal Jose Flaminiano, one of Estrada’s lawyers, said they have begun preparing their client for his scheduled March 15 court appearance.

Since the court has already granted a month’s suspension of the hearings, they will no longer ask for Estrada’s temporary transfer to his residence on Polk street in Greenhills, San Juan, he added.

The defense team would still travel to Tanay, Rizal to brief Estrada, Flaminiano said.

Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa Ignacio said the defense was supposed to present two new witnesses in court yesterday, but they were unable to convince them to testify.

The court gave the defense lawyers until yesterday to present their two remaining potential witnesses, he added.

Earlier, defense lawyers told the court that they would be presenting two potential witnesses before Estrada takes the witness stand.

Villa Ignacio said the prosecution objected to the proposal on the grounds that Estrada had been given enough time to prepare.

"But we later agreed for as long as he (Estrada) will be presented in court on March 15 for our cross-examination," he said.

"The court has verbally granted the request in open court, the written resolution (on it) will just follow."

Last Wednesday, the special division granted a defense request to limit hearings on Estrada’s plunder and perjury cases to once per week.

In open court, the special division led by Presiding Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro ordered that trial be held every Wednesday, starting March 15, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a break from 12 noon to 2 p.m.

The justices also required the presence of Estrada at the hearings starting March 15. — Mike Frialde