Erap court appearance deferred

Ousted President Joseph Estrada will definitely not take the witness stand on March 15 before the Sandiganbayan Special Division, where he is facing plunder and perjury charges.

According to one of his lawyers, former Senator Rene Saguisag, the former President has lost much needed preparation time for his court appearance after recovering from his recent eye surgery.

Saguisag added that apart from his eye surgery, the accusation leveled by government against Estrada that he helped finance the aborted coup has contributed to the decision not to push through with his March 15 appearance.

"We lost much needed preparation time as he recovered from his surgery in addition to the accusation that he financed the coup," said Saguisag in a phone interview.

Saguisag said that instead of March 15, he suggested that Estrada take the witness stand on March 29. The lawyer said he would still formally inform the court about the change of schedule.

Saguisag’s fellow defense counsel, former Manila City Fiscal Jose Flaminiano, earlier said Estrada’s doctors requested that the former President stop going over documents for at least a week as part of his recovery period.

Flaminiano said that as part of his legal defense, Estrada would be asked to read and review voluminous documents and witness accounts related to his cases.