Philippine Supreme Court Junks Estrada's Appeal AgainThe Philippine Supreme Court(SC) rejected Tuesday former President Joseph Estrada's appeal for reconsideration of its ruling last month about the legitimacy of the presidency of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.The court voted 13-0 to deny the Estrada's motion "for lack of merit", Philippine News Agency said. On March 2, the court declared Arroyo, who took power at the climax of a "people power" revolt in January, the country's legitimate president. The court, in its last month ruling, also rejected Estrada's contention that he was merely on leave from office and that as president, he enjoyed immunity from prosecution. Estrada, facing investigation for corruption, bribery and economic plunder, appealed to the court to reconsider its ruling, and the court ordered the government ombudsman to suspend any court cases while it was studying the appeal. "Now there is no more barrier. That is the effect of the court' s decision," assistant court clerk Maria Villarama was quoted as saying when asked if the ombudsman could now push ahead with the filing of charges against Estrada. The economic plunder charge is punishable by death and is a non- bailable offense. The ombudsman is reportedly investigating Estrada for allegedly enriching himself while in office and taking hefty bribes from illegal gambling lords. |
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