December 5, 2000. Copyright 2000. Graphic News. All rights reserved.

ESTRADA FACES GRAFT-RELATED IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

LONDON, December 5, Graphic News: JUST two and a half years after being overwhelmingly elected to office, Philippine President Joseph Estrada faces four charges of corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the constitution. 
A former action-film hero, Estrada has vowed he is innocent of charges of receiving some $11 million in bribes from gambling syndicates and illegal diversion of excise taxes. His opponents, including the powerful Roman Catholic church, his own vice-president and almost the entire business community, insist he should go. When the impeachment charges were first made public in October, the peso fell to a historic low of 51.95 to the dollar. 
Now the capital, Manila, faces a second week-long series of rallies and strikes when the impeachment trial begins on Thursday. 
For the start of the trial, EstradaÕs opponents have said tens of thousands of activists will surround the Senate building overlooking Manila Bay in what has been called the Jericho March.
In November about 50,000 people staged street protests, lampooning him as Godzilla, the reptile of movie lore, setting his effigy on fire and calling for his resignation.
Opinion is sharply divided on whether he will hold on to the presidency. EstradaÕs fate now rests in the hands of 22 senators who are his judges -- he needs at least eight votes to win acquittal -- a two-thirds vote against him will force him from office.
The Senate used to be EstradaÕs political stronghold but defections after the bribery scandal broke last month trimmed the 14-member Estrada coalition in CongressÕ upper house to five senators.
At least 10 are believed to be opposed to his continuing in office whereas the others are thought to be independent.
/ENDS
Sources: Reuters, Associated Press, UPI