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Manila Urges Public Not to Prejudge Estrada
The Philippine government on Tuesday urged the public not to prejudge President Joseph Estrada based on the prosecution panel's claims in his impeachment trial.
In a press release issued here, acting Press Secretary Michael Toledo said that the defense has yet to present its evidence to the court that would disprove the allegations against the president.
Under the rules of the impeachment court, Toledo added, the trial follows a process in which the defense panel presents its arguments and evidence after the prosecution team.
"That is all we ask. Don't believe all of the prosecution's claims because the defense will make its own presentation of evidence," he said.
On December 22, the prosecution panel presented Equitable PCI Bank official Clarissa Ocampo who claimed that she saw the president sign his name as "Jose Velarde" in several bank documents.
Chief Justice Hilario Davide, the presiding officer of the impeachment court, said the burden is on the prosecution to prove that the amount being claimed by Ocampo in the bank documents were illegally acquired by the president and that her testimony is relevant to the trial.
Toledo noted that the defense has yet to cross-examine Ocampo and present its own evidence on the case when the trial resumes January 2, 2001.
On his part, Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said in a radio interview that if President Estrada is keeping silent these days, it is because he does not want to telegraph his moves to the prosecution panel in his impeachment trial.
Zamora said the president will definitely answer the charges against him "at the right time."
According to Zamora, the president also intends to finish his term until 2004 and has ruled out the possibility of resigning.
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