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Philippine Leader Built Casino Out Of Bribe Money Says Witness
JAKARTA (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Philippines president Joseph Estrada built a casino with bribe money paid to him every fifteen days, witnesses said in the ongoing impeachment trial against the embattled leader in Manila.
The casino, worth $1.12 million, was ''funded'' by protection money to the president from a hugely popular, but illegal lottery called ''jueteng,'' said Maria Carmencita Itchon, an accountant with the casino.
The Fontainbleau casino was built on land leased from a resort north of Manila, she added, as the trial ran into its fifth day.
However, the star witness in yesterday was Luis "Chavit" Singson, Ilocos Sur Governor and one time drinking buddy of Estrada, who took to the stand bringing along a series of ledger books.
He showed the trial judges that the books held records of money given to Estrada, delivered to him directly every fifteen days. The governor said the president used to get $100,000 weekly from illegal gambling money.
Singson, the prosecution’s principal witness in Estrada’s impeachment trial, says he has some of the checks he issued indicating amounts that were given to Estrada.
During the prosecution's direct examination, Singson also testified that he has in his possession two ledgers that show the recipients of the jueteng money, as well as the provinces where the jueteng money came from.
Singson also said that other entries in the "jueteng" ledger indicated bribes given to the president's sons, San Juan Mayor Jose "Jinggoy" and Jude Estrada, as well as other presidential associates.
Singson testified on questioning by private counsel Simeon Marcelo that entries in the ledger showed that money was indeed given to Estrada’s sons. Other entries, he said, reflected payments to associates of the "Philippine National Police chief."
He also said that several entries in the ledger listed as jueteng bribes were allotted for other presidential associates, including legislative liaison officer Jimmy Policarpio, whom Singson claimed had a monthly payoff allocation.
Itchon, the first witness, said money to build the casino for the president was paid by provincial Governor Singson, who in early October triggered the current political crisis with allegations that he handled more than eight million dollars in jueteng bribes for Estrada.
Itchon told the 21 senators acting as jurors in the trial, that if the builders needed supplies, she would ask Singson for the money.
The House of Representatives impeached Estrada last month for bribery, corruption, culpable violation of the constitution and betrayal of public trust.
He is now on trial and if found guilty, will lose the presidency. This will be the first time in ASEAN’s history that a president might be removed due to impeachment, not withstanding the removal of Indonesian president Sukarno in the late 1960s.
Itchon said Estrada's ''partners'' in the casino included his businessman-friend Jaime Dichaves and Yolanda Ricaforte, a woman described by the witness as Estrada's ''auditor'' for jueteng collections held by Singson.
Itchon said she knew illegal gambling bribes funded the project because it had used money supplied by Singson, who told her it came from jueteng collections.
Earlier Wednesday, another witness called by the prosecution said he had fled the Philippines with his family in fear of being murdered.
Former securities regulator, Perfecto Yasay told a radio station Wednesday he would return to Manila next month to take the stand now that his family was safe.
''I am just taking the necessary precautions. I want to make sure that nothing untoward will befall me before I take the witness stand,'' the former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman told radio DZBB in a telephone interview from an unspecified location.
The former movie star, President Estrada has entered a plea of not guilty to all the charges. He said on Wednesday that he had hit an emotional low during the trial.
''I'm just a human being that's why I admit I feel bad at times,'' Estrada told local officials at the presidential palace. ''My family has been hurt by the charges against me.''
Trial proceedings are currently suspended.
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