December 12, 2000, ABS-CBN, 2:41 PM, Shortened trial seen today,

PASAY CITY (ABS-CBN) - Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. says there is a possibility that the impeachment proceedings Tuesday will be shortened as the House of Representatives is set to vote on the national budget.

Pimentel said there are only two witnesses in today's trial, FountainBleu employee Menchu Itchon and one unidentified witness. Other witnesses who may be called are Twink Macaraig and Francisco Yap. 

He also pointed out that the prosecution panel is planning to lessen the number of witnesses to be presented against President Estrada to further shorten the proceedings. This was transmitted by Prosecutor Joker Arroyo in a telephone conversation early Tuesday morning, he added. 

He also said that the trial will continue except on Saturdays, Sundays, Christmas, New Year and the 30th of December which is a holiday. 

However, prosecution member Raul Gonzales believes it would not be a good move to sacrifice quality just to hasten.

Congressman Wigberto Tanada added said the Senate should first consider if the impeachment trial is a criminal case or not.

Both solons pointed out that the process is being delayed by the defense's objections who want a stricter implementation of the rules of court based on criminal procedures.

Meanwhile, both the defense and prosecution teams claimed victory during the third day of the president's impeachment trial.

Members of the house panel believe they were able to seize the advantage through the solid testimony of surprise witness Emma Lim.

The prosecution praised Lim's cool under pressure of direct and cross-examination and her account of delivering 5 million pesos in jueteng money to the president's office in Malacañang.

The defense team meantime insists Lim is lying under the direction of her employer Singson Ilocos Sur governor and presidential accuser Luis Chavit Singson.

Lawyer Raul Daza said the witness committed perjury on her claim of receiving a personalized check from the United Overseas Bank of the Philippines signed by San Juan mayor Jinggoy Estrada.

Daza says this is in contradiction to the certification issued by bank president Isabelita M. Papa who said Estrada has never had an account with UOBNP.

The letter read: "This is to certify that Mr. Jose P. Ejercito also known as Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada never had a current/checking account with the United Overseas Bank Phils." 

Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said Lim could not explain how she could have received a check for P1 million from San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada, as she had claimed on the witness stand.

"Paano sinabing binigyan siya ni Mayor Estrada ng tseke kung ang bangko nagsasabing walang account si Mayor Estrada (How can she say she received a check from Mayor Estrada when the bank has certified that the mayor does not have an account in the bank she had specified)?" Zamora said on radio.

Zamora said the media failed to give "equivalent value" to the certification of a bank denying that Mayor Estrada had an account in the bank mentioned by Lim.

"Magaling ang testigo, di siya naging hysterical, kaya lang ang dapat tanungin natin totoo ba ang testimonya (The witness is good. She did not become hysterical. But the question is, is her testimony true)?" he said.

(Anthony Taberna, DZMM)