January 22, 2002, AFP, Top Philippine prosecutor wants Estrada trial speeded up,

January 22, 2002, AFP, Top Philippine prosecutor wants Estrada trial speeded up,

MANILA, Jan 22 (AFP) -

The Philippines' top graft prosecutor said Tuesday he will ask the Supreme Court to speed up the corruption trial of former president Joseph Estrada after the creation of a special court to handle the case.

"With the creation of the special court there are no more obstacles for continuous trial and there is no more reason for the defense lawyers to delay the cases like they did before," Ombudsman Aniano Desierto said.

Estrada is accused of massive corruption and could face the death penalty if convicted. His trial at the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court has been plodding along with hearings only twice a week.

The trial was also disrupted last year after the presiding judge went on leave, while another judge was suspended for three months over another case.

In a bid to speed up the trial, the Supreme Court Monday created a special Sandiganbayan division that would solely be dedicated to trying Estrada's corruption cases.

With the creation of the new division, Desierto said prosecutors now "want a daily trial."

"Or we'll ask the special court that trials be conducted three days a week at the very least," Desierto said.

He also hailed the high court decision creating the special division, saying those appointed to the three-member bench are "magistrates with impeccable credentials, sober and level-headed."

Estrada is being detained at a military hospital in a northern Manila suburb.