Embattled Philippine President Joseph Estrada today called for calm in the face of mounting outrage over a Senate decision that virtually acquitted him of serious graft charges.
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President Joseph Estrada
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"I appeal to our countrymen to keep calm and pray for strength and guidance. Let us pray we may be spared of further violence, injuries or deaths," Estrada said in a statement.
"I thank the good Lord for giving us this initial favourable vote," he added. The Senate voted by 11-10 yesterday not to open potentially-damaging evidence of secret bank accounts that allegedly hold illegal payoffs for the president.
The vote effectively acquits Estrada of charges of bribery and corruption, and sparked protests on the streets of Manila and led the prosecution team to resign from the trial being held in the Senate.
Estrada also said the bank account which he supposedly held under the fake name of "Jose Velarde" was not his.
His spokesman later charged the protests were part of a grand conspiracy to force his boss from power.
The spokesman said in a statement that the prosecution's resignations and the street demonstrations were all part of a conspiracy by an opposition coalition to force Estrada to resign even though they lacked the evidence to convict him.
AFP