Deposed Philippine president Joseph Estrada was defiant on the eve of his court appearance Sunday, saying he may snub his corruption trial as he demanded better treatment from prosecutors.
A special anti-graft court called Sandiganbayan is set to begin hearing testimony Monday from witnesses on how the former movie star allegedly raided government funds and ran a protection racket for illegal gambling barons while in power.
Estrada's alleged conspirators, his son, Jose Ejercito, and former lawyer, Edward Serapio are also due to appear in court.
The ex-president's lawyers have tried to spare him the ordeal, arguing on Sunday that Estrada should not be humiliated in a courtroom "circus" and be accorded respect befitting a former head of state.
They had also filed petitions with the Supreme Court questioning the constitutionality of the plunder law under which Estrada is being charged, claiming that its provisions were vague.
"We are keeping our options open right now on whether we are attending or not," defense lawyer Raymond Fortun said on local television.
"We have a pending motion with the Supreme Court for a status quo order -- that there will be no proceedings at Sandiganbayan until after the Supreme Court has resolved our petition to declare the plunder law unconstitutional."
The Philippines' chief graft prosecutor, Aniano Desierto, has warned that Estrada could be "bodily carried" to court if he refused to attend the hearing.
Fortun branded the threat as "reckless."
"The statement of the ombudsman shows you the kind of approach they have taken in so far as our clients are concerned. They have treated our clients no different from caged wild animals and this is manifest from the very beginning," Fortun complained.
"Mr. Estrada is entitled to the dignity of a former president and yet he remains to be locked up," he said. "It is very clear they would want a circus here."
National police spokesman Thompson Lantion said about 1,500 policemen would be deployed around the Sandiganbayan on Monday. He vowed "to go the extra mile" to explain to Estrada and his lawyers that he should appear in court.
"But the court order says we have to bring the former president before them, therefore we have no choice but to do that," Lantion said.
Estrada has pleaded not guilty to charges that he plundered an 80 million-dollar fortune in less than three years in office after being elected by a landslide in 1998 elections.
If convicted, he could in theory face the death penalty but President Gloria Arroyo, his successor, has ruled out any possible execution.
Much of the testimony to be presented on Monday was made public at Estrada's aborted impeachment trial in the Senate, where the first accounts of his alleged crimes were made public by his estranged drinking partner, Luis Singson.
The Senate trial collapsed after senators voted to block presentation of key evidence, triggering a walk-out by prosecutors.
Public outrage eventually snowballed into a popular uprising that forced Estrada out of office in January.
His cabinet members and the armed forces and police deserted him and he tearfully left the presidential palace through the back door.
Although Estrada still has a sizeable following among the poor who are still captivated by his populist image, police no longer expect the massive street protests that marked his arraignment at the same court just months ago.
Police spokesman Lantion said pro- and anti-Estrada protesters were expected to troop to the Sandiganbayan premises on Monday, but that he does not expect any major problems.
He said the police contingent in the area has been reduced by 50 percent to only 1,500 officers, including detectives and riot police -- MANILA (AFP)
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