Philippine presidential impeachment witness alleges cover-up

Bank official: Estrada used false name on $10 million account

In this story: Ocampo's December testimony Estrada denies wrongdoing Tight security RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- A bank official testified at the impeachment trial of Philippine President Joseph Estrada on Tuesday that her boss ordered her to allow Estrada to use a false name to cover up his alleged ownership of an account worth $10 million.

VIDEO A review of Ocampo's testimony about Estrada, from CNN's Maria Ressa (January 2) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Maria Ressa reports on the division of economic classes over Estrada (January 1) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     PROFILES Key players in the Estrada impeachment case     RESOURCES Follow a timeline showing President Estrada's recent political crisis     MESSAGE BOARD Estrada trial

Clarissa Ocampo, senior vice president of Equitable PCI bank, testified in December that she watched Estrada sign a false name to the account, which prosecutors allege Estrada used to hide undeclared income. They say new testimony will show Estrada kept a network of hidden bank accounts, one of them with $24 million, in violation of graft law.

Philippine graft law requires the president to declare all assets and income. Estrada declared assets of $700,000 in 1999 and has a monthly income of $1,000 as president.

Tuesday's testimony was the first since the proceeding -- the country's first impeachment trial -- broke for a holiday recess.

Ocampo's December testimony

On December 22, Ocampo testified that she had seen Estrada sign a $10 million check with the false name "Jose Velarde." Stunning the impeachment court, she described how Estrada allegedly issued the check under the name Velarde in February 2000, as a personal loan to the company of a friend.

During Tuesday's testimony, Ocampo testified that on December 12 -- five days after the trial had begun -- then-bank chairman George Go, a close friend of Estrada, told her to remove papers that might have revealed the account was registered under the Velarde name.

Ocampo said she was ordered to draft new documents showing the account was owned by businessman Jaime Dichaves, a close friend of Estrada. Dichaves later sent a letter to the Senate impeachment tribunal, saying the account was his.

Go resigned as bank chairman last month, stating he wanted to distance his bank from any suspicion that the institution was involved in corruption.

Ocampo testified that while the new documents tracing the account to Dichaves were never actually switched with the old ones, they were signed December 13 in the office of Estelito Mendoza, a prominent member of Estrada's defense team at the trial.

Mendoza acknowledged Tuesday that Ocampo, Dichaves and others were in his office that day but said no documents were signed in his presence. He said he would consider withdrawing from the case but denied any professional misconduct.

Also Tuesday, Equitable PCI legal officer Manuel Curato echoed Ocampo's testimony by saying that he, too, had watched Estrada sign the false name on the loan documents.

Estrada denies wrongdoing

Estrada, who denies any wrongdoing, is charged with bribery, graft, betrayal of public trust and violation of the constitution. A conviction on any charge by two-thirds of the 22-member Senate would force him from office.

Provincial governor Luis Singson, a former drinking and gambling buddy of Estrada, has testified that the president pocketed more than 400 million pesos ($8 million) in bribes from organizers of illegal gambling and 130 million pesos ($2.6 million) in tobacco-tax kickbacks.

The corruption scandal threatening Estrada's presidency began in early October when Singson went public with his accusations.

Estrada needs at least eight of the 22 Senate votes to be acquitted. A vote by a two-thirds majority is required to convict and remove him from office.

A conviction on any charge would force Estrada from office and replace him with Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, an opposition leader. The president and vice president are elected separately.

But prosecutors in the impeachment trial suffered an apparent setback Tuesday when the trial's presiding officer warned that key testimony against Estrada might be stricken from the record.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide said testimony from Ocampo could be thrown out because, under the law, prosecutors must prove the money in the $10 million account belonged to Estrada and was ill-gotten wealth.

Tight security

Trial security was tight as proceedings resumed following a holiday recess.

Police in Manila are investigating five explosions that ripped through crowded areas of the capital Saturday, killing 14 people and wounding more than 100 others. No one has claimed responsibility for the bombings.

A lack of clear suspects and government warnings of more attacks have prompted accusations blaming the government, political opposition, the army, right-wing factions, and Muslim and communist guerrillas, among others, for the bombs.

CNN Manila Bureau Chief Maria Ressa and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Estrada's impeachment trial resumes under tight security
January 1, 2001
President Estrada shrugs off senior Philippine minister's concerns
December 29, 2000
Estrada may be losing ability to govern Philippines, minister says
December 28, 2000
Bank executive testifies Philippine president used false name
December 22, 2000

Equitable PCI Bank
President Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada
BAYAN Movement
Philippine House of Representatives

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