Judge vows to speed up plunder trial

A woman judge has vowed to fast-track the $80.3 million plunder case against former President Joseph Estrada, following a Supreme Court ruling which paved the way for the creation of a special anti-graft court to handle the case.

In a one-page order, Acting Presiding Justice Minita Chico Nazario asked Estrada and his son Jinggoy, to appear Monday afternoon in the newly-created division at the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court.

Nazario has scheduled several days of trial, estimated at three times a week, adding she will ascertain whether the two Estradas are to be ordered to attend the hearing.

Last week, Nazario, who also chairs the Sandiganbayan's fifth division, took up her new posting together with Associate Justices Edilberto Sandoval and Teresita Leonardo de Castro.

Estrada's defence lawyer, Jose Flamiano, said his team is pushing for the ouster of De Castro, saying she hasn't the objectivity to handle the case.

Meanwhile, Sandiganbayan officials said they expected Nazario to conduct the plunder trial 'more efficiently' than former Third Division Chairman Anacleto Badoy.

The Supreme Court forced Badoy into an indefinite period of leave for alleged misbehaviour unbecoming of his stature. Badoy was accused of delaying proceedings and making whimsical requests of his staff members.

"She (Nazario) is fairly predictable and will not blurt out surprises," said a ranking graft court officer.

This observation was shared by the court clerk Teresa Pabulayan who said Nazario "will start on the time she said she would, and will end proceedings at the appointed time".

Pabulayan said her boss has no penchant for dramatics and has proven herself to be hard working. "She has started reviewing the plunder case, taking home voluminous documents everyday. She is willing to work overtime when it is really important to do so," said Pabulayan.

The fifth division has in custody numerous volumes pertaining to the case. The special court has granted the prosecution its request to put Ma. Socorro Yolanda de Leon, of the Bank of Philippine Island's branch in suburban Cubao, Quezon City, on the witness stand.

The prosecution said the banker can prove that the amount of $3.71 million given by Belle Resources Vice Chairman Will Ng Ocier, in a Far East Bank Check, was issued to and deposited in the bank account of Estrada's business associate, Jaime Dichaves.

In turn, Dichaves issued a check for the same amount to Estrada's alleged secret account at the Equitable PCIBank in the name of Jose Velarde.

Dichaves was one of Estrada's co-accused in the plunder case. He had refused to testify against Estrada, unlike Ocier who was also a former associate of the ex-president.