Estrada ’legalised gambling racket’

A cell phone billing receipt reveals that one of President Joseph Estrada's subordinates made 22 calls to Mayor Jose 'Jinggoy' Estrada and another 20 calls to Malacanang, the presidential palace. Maria Carmencita Itchon, who testified before the senate at the impeachment trial of President Estrada, yesterday, pointed the finger squarely at Yolanda Ricaforte.

Ricaforte is alleged to be Estrada's appointed accountant and auditor of gambling payoffs received from operators of the illegal numbers game. "I am in charge of paying the phone bills, which is why I studied their content carefully," said Itchon, who added that Jinggoy used the code name Jingle Bells. Ricaforte was assigned to oversee the collection of gambling payoffs from jueteng operators who needed protection, said Itchon, adding that Estrada had assigned Singson to collect the money in 1998.

The defence tried to destroy her testimony by saying her brother and sister are married to Singson's siblings. It also tried to debunk her testimony by showing that Ricaforte worked for Singson, not Estrada. Moreover, the defence tried to prevent the entry of the cell phone bills as evidence but Chief Justice Hilario Davide overruled the effort.

Meanwhile, Luis Singson testified anew and said that Estrada worked hard to legalise jueteng because he could get more money from Bingo Two-Ball. With the gambling payoff from jueteng operators, the president would get only three per cent or P 10 million, an estimated P 32 to P 35 million monthly collection, said Singson.

"With the legalised jueteng called Bingo Two-Ball, the president was promised 23 per cent, through presidential friend Charlie Ang, who got the contract with the government-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation to oversee the handing out of Bingo Two ball franchises to operators," said Singson. The defence did not cross-examine Singson because his testimony ended late. Hearing will continue today . Earlier, Singson accused Estrada of asking for $ 2.7 million in kickbacks from a tobacco excise tax.

The prosecution has been presenting evidence to show that Estrada is guilty of bribery for pocketing gambling payoffs. He is accused of bribery, graft and corrupt practices, the betrayal of public trust, and violation of the constitution. Reuters adds: Estrada's chief accuser testified yesterday the former actor pleaded with him not to reveal alleged presidential links to gambling syndicates but he told Estrada: "It's too late."

Provincial governor Luis "Chavit" Singson, the prosecution's star witness in Estrada's impeachment trial, told the court senior cabinet ministers also appealed to him not to go public but he told them there was no turning back. Estrada, charged with bribery and corruption, faces removal from office if the Senate impeachment court convicts him. He has said his name is clear and he will be acquitted. Singson, a former presidential ally, triggered the impeachment trial with accusations in October that Estrada took about 400 million pesos ($8.0 million) in bribes from gamblers' syndicates running an illegal numbers game called "jueteng".

Singson said he broke with Estrada following a dispute over a franchise for gambling which Singson said he wanted to have but which the president gave to the governor's political rival. In a telephone conversation later, Singson said Estrada appealed to him not to go to the media with his allegations. "Let's settle this, buddy," Singson quoted Estrada as saying. He said he told the president: "I would like to but I think it's too late."