Thousands protest as Estrada's trial begins

Mansion in Manila

The company bought a 86-million peso mansion in Manila which newspapers have said is occupied by former starlet Laarni Enriquez, who Estrada has acknowledged is the mother of some of his children.

The reports have called the mansion "Boracay" because it has a large swimming pool with artificial waves and surrounding white sands in an attempt to re-create the beaches of the famed central Philippine island.

"It follows that President Estrada provided the funds, as the real and beneficial owner of St. Peter's Holdings, to buy Boracay," Arroyo said.

"Imagine the president of the Philippines maintaining a fictitious account? How far can he go? That is how low the president has gone down in bastardising and prostituting even our banking system," Arroyo said.

"We will show that President Estrada cannot explain how he was able to purchase that property when his net worth according to his 1999 Statement of Assets and Liabilities was only 35 million pesos."

Soon after, prosecutor Joker Arroyo showed the Senate court a copy of a cheque for 146 million pesos (about $3 million) which he said was signed by Estrada, albeit in a false name.

"We want you to study that cheque very closely," he said. "Examine the signature. Then look at the signature of the president on a 500 peso note. You need not be an expert . . . there are unmistakable signs that the signature on the cheque is in the handwriting of the president of the Philippines."

The cheque, Arroyo said, was made out to Jose Luis Yulo, a friend of Estrada, who in turn used part of the funds to finance purchases made by a company called St. Peter's Holdings, of which he was the owner.

The company bought a 86-million peso mansion in Manila which newspapers have said is occupied by former starlet Laarni Enriquez, who Estrada has acknowledged is the mother of some of his children.

The reports have called the mansion "Boracay" because it has a large swimming pool with artificial waves and surrounding white sands in an attempt to re-create the beaches of the famed central Philippine island.

"It follows that President Estrada provided the funds, as the real and beneficial owner of St. Peter's Holdings, to buy Boracay," Arroyo said.

"Imagine the president of the Philippines maintaining a fictitious account? How far can he go? That is how low the president has gone down in bastardising and prostituting even our banking system," Arroyo said.

"We will show that President Estrada cannot explain how he was able to purchase that property when his net worth according to his 1999 Statement of Assets and Liabilities was only 35 million pesos."

An estimated 15,000 protesters marched on the Senate building when the trial began at 2 p.m. (0600 GMT).

Protesters included both supporters and critics

The protesters included both supporters and critics of Estrada, but the latter, backed by influential church leaders, former president Corazon Aquino and Vice-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo were in vastly stronger numbers.

Local financial markets were quiet although dealers said they were wary. The peso, which fell to a historic low of 51.95 to the dollar after charges of corruption were first aired against Estrada in October, was stable at about 50.20.

"Resignation is a heroic act. Only brave men do that," Manila's Roman Catholic Archbishop and one of the president's most implacable foes, Cardinal Jaime Sin, said in an open air mass before the start of the protest march.

"We are inviting you to make that supreme sacrifice for the good of the country. Mr President, do not be afraid to step down," added the prelate, who helped lead the 1986 "people power" revolt which ousted late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Estrada did not make any public comment but his spokesman Ricardo Puno said: "He is eager for the process to start and to finish very, very soon so he can then get back to the main business of running the place.

"He knows this is going to be a tough process but he looks forward to it with the conviction that at the end of this entire process he would be vindicated."

Lawyers for the two sides have said the 22-member Senate is unlikely to reach a verdict before the end of January. Estrada will have to quit if he is convicted by a two-thirds majority on any one of four charges of corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the constitution.

Estrada has said the campaign to remove him is being orchestrated by high income and middle class groups and that he still has the support of the poor. He has said he will win the trial and stay in office until 2004, when his six-year term ends.

Riot police ring the Senate

From dawn, hundreds of riot police ringed the Senate building on the shores of Manila Bay to forestall any violence.

Vice-President Arroyo, who is next in line of succession if Estrada is removed from office, and former president Aquino denounced excesses in the Estrada administration in speeches to the protesters.

"Our heroes did not offer up their lives only to have us surrender to the forces of greed (and) corruption," Arroyo said.

Aquino, who took over from Marcos after the 1986 revolution, urged Estrada to resign immediately to spare the country a drawn-out impeachment trial.

"Let us remind the accused that there is a kinder, fairer, more expedient solution to this crisis ... the option of resignation," Aquino said.

"A caring president -- a president who cares about his people more than he cares about himself -- would not have put his nation through this agonizing and potentially divisive crisis."

Estrada is accused of accepting some $11 million in bribes from gambling syndicates, diversion of excise taxes and enriching himself in office. He has denied the charges and has said he will be vindicated at trial.

The thousands of protesters included young men in white shirts who called themselves "prayer warriors," students in school uniform and nuns.

No violence reported

There were no reports of violence and Manila Police Chief General Avelino Razon said there should be no trouble during the day.

"Our expectations are it will be peaceful," he said. "No problem at all."

Meanwhile, one of the 22 senators who will decide Estrada's fate pleaded for space to make a balanced judgment.

"I am listening to everything being said," Senate Majority leader Francisco Tatad said in a signed newspaper article. "But no one will please tell me how to vote. I will vote as my conscience tells me to vote, in order to do the right thing, not to spite anyone or to win somebody's approval or applause."

Local newspapers carried full-page advertisements on Thursday from church and business groups calling for Estrada's ouster. Others said they would monitor each senator, a thinly veiled warning not to give in to what the opposition sees as pressure from the administration.