Estrada trial hears of bogus firms

Ms Banal says she acted on instructions from Mr Estrada's lawyer

A witness in the corruption trial of Philippines President Joseph Estrada has described how she helped to set up dummy companies to channel alleged bribe money.

Maria Jasmine Banal, an employee of the president's former lawyer, Edward Serapio, told the Senate impeachment court on Thursday that she had signed articles of incorporation for the two companies, in which she also acted as one of the board members.

Mr Estrada insists he is innocent

Earlier, prosecutors alleged that Mr Serapio had received nearly $4m from illegal gambling syndicates, meant for President Estrada.

President Estrada has been impeached and charged with corruption, betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the constitution.

If found guilty by a two-thirds majority of the 22-member Senate on any one charge, he will be removed from office.

He is the first Asian president to face an impeachment trial.

Disruption

Ms Banal told the court that she was asked to sign a "blank deed of assignment" to transfer shares she held when she left the Serapio law firm last year. She added that she did not know to whom her shares were transferred.

Spectator Bettina Aboitiz was among three people expelled

Proceedings on the 15th day of the trial were disrupted by the discovery of an unauthorised microphone installed inside the courtroom by a local television network. Senators said the device may have recorded their private conversations.

In further disruption, three members of the public were ordered out and barred permanently from the trial after Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago accused them of making "provocative gestures" at her.

The court also issued a statement condemning "threats against the lives and security of judges, wherever they come from, and any attempt to pressure them to vote one way or the other" in the trial.

Singson's testimony

The presidential spokesman, Ernesto Maceda, says the prosecution's claims lack any evidence.

But on Wednesday a key prosecution witness stuck by his testimony that Mr Estrada had pocketed $8m in gambling bribes.

During fierce grilling by defence lawyers, Luis Singson, a reputed gambling lord, also said that Mr Estrada had ordered him to conceal the funnelling of excise taxes to the president's family.

Mr Singson - a former drinking buddy of the president - told the court that he had falsified documents to show that the money was used to purchase tobacco-curing equipment.

It was Mr Singson, the governor of Ilocos Sur province, who first publicly accused the president of bribery and corruption, which triggered the impeachment proceedings.

Mr Singson admitted to receiving large sums of bribe money from bosses of an illegal gambling game called jueteng, but said most of it went to Mr Estrada.