Summary

TAPE_NUMBER: EF01/0077 IN_TIME: 10:04:57 // 13:04:57 LENGTH: 06:53 SOURCES: APTN RESTRICTIONS: FEED: VARIOUS (THE ABOVE TIME-CODE IS TIME-OF-DAY) SCRIPT: English/Nat XFA President Joseph Estrada resigned amid a corruption scandal on Saturday as tens of thousands of protesters marched on his residence in Manila. The country's vice president - Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo - immediately took the oath of office in an effort to end the Philippines' worst crisis in years. The back-to-back developments came just minutes after protesters pushed through police lines and marched close to the presidential palace, demanding the removal of the former action-film star whose political career was ruined by a corruption scandal and an unprecedented impeachment trial. Estrada spent a turbulent morning barricaded inside the Malacanang palace, apparently seeking last-minute concessions for the only thing he had left to offer: his resignation. The nation has been suffering through political turmoil that exploded in October with allegations Estrada took gambling kickbacks and skimmed money from provincial tobacco taxes. The end was inglorious for the former action-movie star who was being tried on unprecedented impeachment charges when the situation worsened on Tuesday as senators serving as judges narrowly refused to open bank records that prosecutors say would have proven Estrada's guilt. Protests swelled and Estrada was devastated on Friday by a string of high-level defections. He had tried to buy time with two appearances on national television, offering to restart his impeachment trial, then later urging Congress to call snap elections in May, saying he would stay out of the race. It was a clear attempt to thwart Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the daughter of a former president who headed an opposition group made up of such diverse elements as big business and left-wing labour and communist forces. Minutes after Estrada went on television for the first time Friday, military chief General Angelo Reyes abandoned the president and joined the wildly cheering protesters in Manila. Reyes sought conciliation, saying Estrada and his family should be allowed to "exit with dignity". Macapagal-Arroyo's aides resisted Estrada's attempts to gain concessions. Details of his decision to leave were not immediately released. Sources earlier said three airplanes were put on standby at nearby Villamor Air Base, and that immigration officials were told to go there and prepare to process some people leaving the country by early Saturday. Rumours of possible destinations included the United States and Australia. At least a quarter (M) million people had demanded his resignation during a raucous rally early on Saturday at a Manila monument to the 1986 "people power" revolt that threw out late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. As Estrada tried to negotiate as favourable an exit as possible - raising issues said to have included his departure from the nation as well as requests to take some of his fortune - demonstrators began marching toward Malacanang in the early morning. Calls for Estrada's resignation followed an expose made by a friend that he received pay-off money from illegal gambling operators in the country. In a senate hearing on October 11, Estrada's friend, Governor Luis Singson, accused Estrada and other government officials of regularly receiving money from proceeds of an illegal numbers game called "jueteng". The charges have sparked the nation's worst political crisis in years and led to the charges built into the impeachment trial at the senate. Estrada's vice president also joined those calling for the former movie star to step aside. On October 12, Macapagal-Arroyo resigned from her post as Secretary of Social Welfare but continued to serve as vice president. She cited accusations that Estrada received (m) millions of dollars in pay-offs from illegal gambling operators as the reason for resigning her cabinet post. Estrada then denied the pay-off allegations and said he wouldn't step down. During the trial, Estrada said he would quit if it was proven he's corrupt, but added that no amount of demonstrations would make him resign. The House of Representatives began impeachment hearings in December 2000. But the inquiry over corruption allegations took an unexpected turn a month later when the senate failed to secure a vote to allow the prosecution access to crucial documents which were believed to contain the most damaging evidence yet of Estrada's corruption during his 18 months in office. Senate President Pimentel Aquilino and Senate Secretary Lutgardo Barbo immediately resigned in protest, followed by the entire team of House prosecutors. As news of the vote hit the streets, protesters called for another uprising similar to the one in 1986 which led to the ousting of the late dictator President Ferdinand Marcos. The flamboyant Estrada has always been an object of fascination to the foreign media. Born in 1937, his father was a government engineer and his mother a musician. After dropping out of high school to try acting in movies, his parents forbade him to use the family name. Instead he adopted "Estrada", or street, as a screen name, and "Erap" - "pare" or friend spelled backwards - as a nickname. He went on to play the lead role in more than a hundred movies and produced more than 70 films. Estrada entered politics when he ran for Mayor of San Juan in 1968. But the man popularly known as "Erap" who came to power in a landslide 1998 election victory finally ran out of allies on Saturday. SOUNDBITE: (English/Tagalog) "My conscience is clear. I am not hiding anything from our people. I believe that the truth will come out in the end. It is a serious matter and I am taking it seriously." SUPER CAPTION: Joseph Estrada, Philippines President SOUNDBITE: (Tagalog) "That is why I ask that we resume the process as stated in the constitution as soon as possible. I believe that that I will be proven innocent in the end. I repeat, I am ready to accept whatever is the result of the impeachment trial at the senate." SUPER CAPTION: Joseph Estrada, Philippine President SOUNDBITE: (English) "We are withdrawing support from the governing president. And we will support the assumption in office of the constitutionally mandated successor, the Vice-President." SUPER CAPTION: Angelo Reyes, Armed forces chief of staff SOUNDBITE: (Tagalog) "I am sad that it had to come to this. But in order to safeguard our democracy and to allow peace to rule in our country, I ask our Congress to call for a snap presidential election at the same time with our congressional and local elections which will be held in May. I will not participate in this snap election, and I will immediately transfer the presidency to whoever will be elected as my successor." SUPER CAPTION: Joseph Estrada, Philippines President SOUNDBITE: (Tagalog/English) "I believe that the truth will come out in the end. It is a serious matter and I am taking it seriously." SUPER CAPTION: Joseph Estrada, Philippines President SOUNDBITE: (English) "I regret that I can no longer continue to serve as a member of this present cabinet. Accordingly, I have on this day submitted my resignation as a cabinet member." SUPER CAPTION: Renato Corona, reading Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's resignation letter SOUNDBITE: (English) "We in representation of the minority and the Filipino people, all of the Filipino people are set and hereby file a complete for impeachment against the President of the Philippines." SUPER CAPTION: Congressman Feliciano Belmonte SHOTLIST: Manila/Malolos Bulacan, Philippines - 19 Jan 2001/File Manila, Philippines - January 19, 2001 1. Pan across chanting crowd 2. Various, people holding banners in crowd 3. People drumming and dancing 4. Close shot, anti-Estrada placard 5. Various, crowd chanting 6. SOUNDBITE (Tagalog) Joseph Estrada, Philippine President 7. Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (in yellow) singing national anthem between Former President Fidel Ramos, and armed forces chief of staff General Angelo Reyes with Orlando Ricardo, Estrada defence lawyer (in black T-shirt) 8. Pan from Macapagal-Arroyo to Reyes 9. SOUNDBITE (English) Angelo Reyes, Armed forces chief of staff 10. People watching monitor with Estrada speaking 11. SOUNDBITE (Tagalog) Joseph Estrada, Philippine President 12. Tank and armoured car drive past 13. Tank drives toward palace 14. Armoured car reverses into position in front of palace gates Malolos Bulacan, Philippines - June 30, 1998 15. Various of Estrada taking presidential oath Manila, Philippines - File 16. President Estrada campaigning on train through slums 17. Estrada leaning out and touching hands 18. People waving from rail track 19. Still photos on Estrada's desk 20. Still of Estrada with Clinton 21. Still of Estrada with Pope John Paul II Manila, Philippines - 12 October, 2000 22. President Estrada walking 23. Cutaway 24. Estrada during business conference 25. SOUNDBITE (Tagalog/English) Joseph Estrada, President of the Philippines Manila, Philippines - June 1998 26. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo taking her oath as Vice President of the Philippines Manila, Philippines - 12 October, 2000 27. Renato Corona holding Arroyo's resignation letter 28. Corona reading resignation letter of Arroyo Manila, Philippines - August 29, 1999 29. Various of Estrada singing Kahit na Magtiis (Endure I Will) 30. Wife clapping from audience 31. Estrada walking offstage Manila, Philippines - 18 October, 2000 32. Opposition Congressmen handing over impeachment case to Congress Secretary General 33. Congress Secretary General signing receipt of impeachment complaint 34. UPSOUND (English) Congressman Feliciano Belmonte 35. Various of protesters chanting and holding banners and streamers Manila, Philippines - 4 November, 2000 36. Youths throwing eggs at dummy of Estrada 37. Various of protesters at rally Manila, Philippines - 10 November, 2000 38. Estrada news conference 39. SOUNDBITE Estrada Manila, Philippines - 13 November, 2000 40. Various of cheering in Congress Hall Manila, Philippines - 16 January 41. Senate session hall as senators get ready to cast votes 42. Side shot of same 43. UPSOUND (English) Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Presiding Officer of Impeachment hearings 44. Senators leave senate hall 45. Senator Loren Legarda hugs Pimentel as she cries 46. Protesters in cars go past, shouting "Erap Resign!" 47. Woman giving thumbs down to camera 48. Man waving flag in the air 49. Large university poster reading "Erap Resign" Manila, Philippines - January 16 50. Candlelight protest at Edsa, the sight where people gathered in 1986 to oust the then president Marcos 51. Protesters chanting "Erap resign!"?