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Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Anti-graft court set to seize Erap’s assets
MANILA -- The Sandiganbayan Special Division will issue on Tuesday the writ of execution on the confiscation of more than P734 million and a mansion in Quezon City from former President Joseph Estrada.
The money and mansion were not covered by the pardon granted to the convicted plunderer by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last week.
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Estrada, 70, has already declared that the government is welcome to confiscate any of the properties identified in the Sandiganbayan’s September 12 decision on his plunder case, insisting that none of them were his anyway.
Lawyer Renato Bocar, spokesman of the Special Division and executive clerk of court of the Sandiganbayan, said the writ of execution will be issued when the court resumes business after a long weekend break.
The writ would serve as the basis for the office of Sandiganbayan chief sheriff Edgardo Urieta to enforce the forfeiture in favor of the government of Estrada’s ill-gotten wealth, Bocar said.
Bocar explained that Urieta has 30 days to satisfy the judgment and submit a report to the Special Division, composed of Presiding Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro and Associate Justices Francisco Villaruz Jr. and Diosdado Peralta.
“If the judgment was not satisfied by the end of that period, Mr. Urieta will still submit a report and the sheriff will garnish other properties of Estrada until the Sandiganbayan verdict is fully satisfied,” Bocar added.
Last September 12, the Special Division convicted Estrada of plunder and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
The special tribunal likewise ordered the forfeiture of the more than P734 million that it found received by Estrada as kickbacks from jueteng and commission from the purchase of Belle Corp. shares by two government pension funds.
The amount includes the P200 million deposited in the name and account of the Erap Muslim Youth Foundation, which the court said was part of the jueteng payola collected by former Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson for Estrada.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the so-called “Boracay Mansion” in New Manila, Quezon City, which according to the court was bought using proceeds from the illegal numbers game.
Estrada has filed a motion for reconsideration, which he later withdrew as he opted to seek pardon from President Arroyo.
The President, in granting pardon to Estrada, restored the civil and political rights of her predecessor but did not touch on the civil aspect of the Sandiganbayan decision.
Arroyo declared that the “forfeitures imposed by the Sandiganbayan remain in force and in full, including all writs and processes issued by the Sandiganbayan in pursuance hereof, except for the bank account(s) he owned before his tenure as President.” (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cebu. (October 30, 2007 issue)
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