Estrada seeks liberty pass for libel case

Jailed former President Joseph Estrada is set to ask the Sandiganbayan to allow him to attend the pre-trial of the P40-million libel suit that he filed against Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces (ISAFP) chief Victor Corpus.

Cleofe Verzola, Estrada’s lawyer, said she will file the motion tomorrow for him to be allowed to attend the pre-trial hearing of the libel case scheduled on Nov. 28 in the sala of Pasig Regional Trial Court Judge Amelia Fabros.

The libel case was filed by Estrada against Corpus in connection with Corpus’ claim that Estrada is maintaining a joint dollar account in the US with Sen. Panfilo Lacson. Included in the charge is a national daily, which published the Corpus story.

Corpus’ claim prompted the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct its own investigation. The NBI later filed perjury charges against Lacson for his failure to declare his alleged dollar accounts in his Statements of Assets and Liabilities from 1998 to 2001.

Estrada, who is being tried in four criminal cases, including the capital offense of plunder, is currently detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center with his son, former San Juan mayor Jinggoy Estrada. Jinggoy was also charged with plunder.

Meanwhile, lawyers representing Estrada in the plunder case expressed disgust over the non-release of their appearance fee by the Sandiganbayan.

The appearance fee amounts to roughly P30,000 each, covering the service rendered by the four court-appointed counsels de oficio of Estrada for eight months.

In an open-court manifestation, Estrada’s defense counsel told anti-graft court special division chair Associate Justice Minita Chico-Nasario that he and the other lawyers have been having financial difficulties since they were appointed as Estrada’s counsels de oficio last March.

"At this point in time, we already have P30,000 (in) collectibles. That we can use in xeroxing our motions, manifestations and exhibits in connection with the four cases, including the plunder case, of the former President," Cresini said.