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Ousted Estrada's Friends Flee Philippines
Friends of ousted Philippine President Joseph Estrada, including the main lawyer who defended him in the impeachment trial, have fled the Philippines, newspaper reports said on Sunday.
The reports said lawyer Estelito Mendoza, businessman Jaime Dichaves and gaming executive Charlie "Atong" Ang left Manila for Hong Kong over the last two days. It was not immediately known if that was their final destination.
Estrada was stripped of office by the Supreme Court on Saturday after the military, the police and most of the cabinet said they could not serve under him. Vice-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was sworn in as the new president.
Estrada left the Malacanang presidential palace on Saturday afternoon and was holed up in his private residence in another part of the capital, officials said late on Saturday. It was not known what his plans were.
Rumours were swirling that he also planned to flee abroad, possibly to the United States, although the former movie actor vowed he would "live and die" in the Philippines.
Mendoza was the main lawyer defending Estrada in the Senate impeachment trial, in which the disgraced ex-president was accused of corruption, bribery, culpable violation of the constitution and betrayal of public trust.
Dichaves at one stage claimed to own a bank account which bank executives testified was set up by Estrada using a false name.
Other witnesses testified that Ang was deeply involved in passing kickbacks from illegal gambling syndicates to Estrada. (Agencies)
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