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Timeline of the Estrada Crisis

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Key events of Philippine President Joseph Estrada's impeachment trial:

Oct. 9, 2000: Gov. Luis Singson, a longtime friend of Estrada, says he provided the president with more than $8 million in payoffs from illegal gambling and $2.6 million from tobacco taxes.

Oct. 12: Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo resigns from Cabinet post as secretary of social welfare, citing allegations against Estrada. She later takes leadership of united opposition.

Oct. 18: Opposition groups file an impeachment complaint against Estrada with House of Representatives. Thousands of protesters demand the president step down.

Nov. 2: Dozens of lawmakers resign from Estrada's ruling party, including the Senate president and House speaker. Estrada's trade secretary and five senior economic advisers also quit.

Dec. 7: Senate impeachment trial begins with tribunal examining a check signed in the name of Jose Velarde, an alias that prosecutors say Estrada used for hidden bank accounts. They say Estrada signed the check with the fake name to buy a mansion for one of his mistresses.

Dec. 11: An aide to Singson testifies she delivered $100,000 in payoffs from an illegal numbers game called jueteng to Estrada's personal secretary.

Dec. 20: Witnesses testify that one of an account in the Philippines' third largest bank held millions of dollars in bribes collected by Estrada. Equitable PCI Bank president George Go resigns.

Dec. 22: The bank's senior vice president, Clarissa Ocampo, says she saw Estrada sign a false name to documents withdrawing $10 million from a secret personal account.

Dec. 30: Five synchronized bomb attacks kill 22 people and injure more than 120 in Manila, days before the trial is to return from holiday recess. Police accuse Muslim rebels but many fear the bombs may be linked to the trial.

Jan 16, 2001: Senators vote 11-10 to keep key bank documents secret, angering prosecutors who said the records would prove Estrada amassed $63.5 million from corruption. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel quits in protest.

Jan 17: The prosecution team resigns, and the trial is suspended indefinitely. Tens of thousands of Filipinos take to the streets.

Jan 19: Military chief Angelo Reyes, Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado, Finance Secretary Jose Pardo and other top military, police and economic officials resign and join anti-Estrada protesters.

Jan. 20: About 75,000 protesters march close to the presidential palace, demanding Estrada's ouster. Estrada soon quits the presidency and Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo replaces him.