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Thursday, November 16, 2006
Estrada co-accused transferred to Quezon City jail
MANILA -- Charlie "Atong" Ang, one of the co-accused of deposed President Joseph Estrada in his P4.1 billion plunder case, was moved to the Quezon City jail on Wednesday.
Ang did not enter any plea to the plunder charge, prompting the Sandiganbayan Special Division to enter a plea of not guilty for him.
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The Special Court, in an open hearing, rejected Ang's motion that he be committed to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Manila on the ground that his life is in danger.
The court ordered his immediate transfer to the Quezon City jail, which is nearest to the Sandiganbayan.
Presiding Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Ang, who appeared at the Sandiganbayan Special Division an hour before the scheduled 9 a.m. hearing.
Early in the hearing, Ang, through his counsel Alfredo Villamor, asked the court to reschedule the arraignment, saying he has yet to seek other legal remedies such as filing a motion for reinvestigation or to quash the case against him.
Ang was named as co-accused in the multibillion-peso plunder case filed against Estrada who has been in detention for the past five years. The plunder and perjury cases were filed against the former President three months after his ouster from Malacañang in January 2001.
Members of the prosecution, however, opposed the motion to reset the arraignment and claimed that before the accused could turn to other legal remedies, the court should first take custody of Ang.
The court, after more than 30 minutes of closed-door deliberations, denied Ang's requests to postpone his arraignment and to let him stay at the NBI.
The court said in its ruling that it cannot simply disregard court procedures and allow Ang to be committed to the NBI because claims that his life is being threatened were based on speculations.
"The accused has admitted that he cannot substantiate the threats that he has been receiving," the court said, referring to claims earlier made by Ang that the threats were made through text messages.
Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta, during the hearing, pointed out that the court will be violating procedures if it would grant Ang's motion that he be committed to the NBI instead of a city jail.
Prior to the justices' ruling, Villamor urged the court to consider Ang's motion to remain at the NBI and to hold an executive session where the accused could name persons who have been threatening his life and other details.
Associate Justice Francisco Villaruz Jr. asked Villamor if they thought that the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) was "incompetent" to secure Ang. Villamor answered that it was not that they do not trust the BJMP but they think that the NBI was safer for Ang.
Shortly after hearing the court's order, Villamor appealed that his client be given a chance to provide details on the threats but this was denied.
In desperation, the lawyer then said his client is now ready to divulge detail about the threats he has been receiving in open court but this was also rejected.
Ang arrived in the country last Friday after he lost in an extradition case in the US. Prior to his extradition, he has been placed under house arrest for the last five years after his arrest in Las Vegas, Nevada in November 2001.
The court will hear the Ang's plunder case beginning December 6 and every Monday and Wednesday thereafter. (DBP/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (November 16, 2006 issue)
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