Deposed Philippines president Mr Joseph Estrada refused to enter a plea today to a charge of plundering the country's economy, an offence punishable by death or life in jail.
"Upon the advice of my lawyers, I am not entering a plea," Estrada told the anti-graft court at his arraignment on a charge of illegally amassing more than four billion pesos ($75 million) during his 31 months in office.
Under the law, the court automatically entered a not guilty plea for the disgraced former president, who was ousted in a popular revolt in January.
Mr Estrada made the statement standing in front of a panel of three judges in a heavily guarded courtroom on the third floor of the five-storey courthouse.
He was flanked by his son, former town mayor Mr Jose Jinggoy Estrada, and former presidential aide Mr Edward Serapio, who were among his seven co-accused in the plunder case. The other defendants are at large.
State prosecutors have accused Mr Estrada of enriching himself in office by allegedly taking bribes from gambling syndicates, pocketing excise taxes intended for tobacco farmers and receiving commissions from stock market transactions.
Just hours before he was due to appear in court, Mr Estrada's lawyers filed an urgent motion with the Supreme Court to stop the hearing on grounds the plunder law was unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court has yet to make any decision. Under trial rules, a lower court may proceed with its hearings unless there is a specific order from the Supreme Court stopping the proceedings, lawyers said.
Mr Estrada faces separate charges of graft and violation of ethics. No date has been fixed for his arraignment in the two cases.