The Philippine President's son and an aide funnelled millions of pesos in illegal gambling funds to a bribe collector for the President, the leader's corruption trial has heard.
The Senate was also told yesterday that President Joseph Estrada had ordered the then Philippine police chief to assist his friend, provincial governor Mr Luis Singson. He had designated Mr Singson collector of bribes from illegal "jueteng" lotteries, witnesses testified.
Mr Singson's allegations in October that Mr Estrada had taken $8.3 million in bribes from "jueteng" operators led to the President's impeachment. Mr Estrada has pleaded not guilty to bribery, corruption, betrayal of public trust and violation of the constitution.
On the second day of the trial, Mr Singson's employee, Ms Emma Lim, said her office duties included "doing errands for Governor Singson for the collection of jueteng money for President Estrada".
Ms Lim said she collected one million pesos ($20,000) every month from the office of the President's son, Mr Jose Ejercito, a mayor, between January and March 2000.
The President's son handed her a million pesos in a shopping bag in February and gave her a personal cheque for the same amount in March, she said.
Ms Lim said she collected a cheque for 1.19 million pesos ($23,800) from presidential assistant Mr Anton Prieto some time last year. She said she had collected 10 million pesos ($200,000) from another alleged "jueteng" operator. Mr Prieto denied having given any money to Mr Singson.
The former Philippine police chief, Mr Roberto Lastimoso, told the Senate earlier yesterday that Mr Estrada had summoned him to the presidential palace in 1998 for a meeting with Mr Singson.
He said Mr Estrada described Mr Singson as "the operator of jueteng". "You help him," Mr Lastimoso quoted the President as telling him.