President Joseph Estrada has come to terms with becoming the first Philippines leader to be impeached by Congress and is now busy preparing for his defense at his forthcoming corruption trial, senior aides said Tuesday.
The House of Representatives on Monday asked the Senate to conduct a trial for Estrada, who is accused of corruption, taking bribes, violating the 1987 constitution and betrayal of trust.
"I don't think he's in any way surprised at developments at the House," presidential spokesman Ricardo Puno said.
"That is exactly what he asked for, so he's looking forward to finally having the opportunity to respond to all of these charges."
The Senate is preparing the impeachment rules to be followed at the trial, which Senate President Aquilino Pimentel said could start next month and conclude by the end of the year.
Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said the president's aides were "comfortable" with the leadership of the Senate. A two-thirds majority of 15 senators can remove a sitting president if they find in favor of a "preponderance of evidence" on any of the charges.
Puno said Estrada's legal team was preparing for the "substantive aspects of the defense" and had nothing to say to the press at this time.
"They're focused on the Senate trial because they know, sooner or later, it will get there anyway and this opinion has already been expressed by the president." – MANILA (AFP)
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