Estrada detention triggers angry protests

Estrada's lawyer says the former leader's supporters will be satisfied if his client is put under house arrest

In this story: High spirits 'The truth will come out' RELATED STORIES, SITES

MANILA, Philippines -- Security is tight at the presidential palace and other key sites as thousands of protesters allied with detained former President Joseph Estrada demand his release.

Police believe more than 20,000 demonstrators gathered at the same area where similar demonstrations three months ago led to Estrada's downfall.

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Estrada is being held on the charge of economic plunder at a detention center less than half a kilometer from where his supporters congregated.

The charge is considered a capital offense, and carries with it the death penalty. But analysts doubt he will be given the maximum punishment.

"I pray that your protest will remain peaceful . . . I say to you again, I am innocent. I will answer all the charges and I will prove that I am innocent," Estrada said through a statement read by his wife, Loi.

While the crowds are a far cry from the nearly one million people that demanded Estrada's ouster, their presence triggered a show of concern from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

"The issue here is not political. Hence, politics should take the back seat here," Arroyo said in a statement.

Vice President Teofisto Guingona says a special cabinet group has met to study the situation.

"We are regularly meeting and assessing the situation. If violence, damage to property and provocative acts happen, the government has the right to step in," Guingona said.

High spirits

Estrada's relatives say the street demonstration for his release has boosted the former president's morale.

"He is in high spirits," Estrada's wife Loi said. A lawyer said Estrada was monitoring the progress of the demonstration on a transistor radio in his detention cell.

The former president's legal representatives are now battling to have him removed from detention and put under house arrest

Estrada is expected to remain in police custody unless the anti-graft court, the Sandiganbayan, grants him house arrest, or he wins bail.

But neither is expected to happen anytime soon.

The court has given Estrada's lawyers until Tuesday to present arguments for detaining him at his luxurious home instead of in prison.

Presiding justice Francis Garchitorena has also dismissed any possibility of Estrada being released on bail before he is arraigned.

Estrada is being held on a charge of economic plunder, which is a capital offense and is non-bailable.

But justice officials, including Garchitorena have said the law permits a suspect to be released on bail, even for capital offenses, if there is no strong evidence against him.

Estrada's lawyer, Raymond Fortun has said Estrada's release from police detention would calm the anger of supporters currently camped along EDSA.

'The truth will come out'

Estrada and his son are being detained at a Philippine Police camp

Estrada says corruption charges against him are a total fabrication and a violation of his civil rights.

Speaking exclusively to CNN just after his dramatic arrest, Estrada said he doubted that he would get a fair trial under the current administration.

Nonetheless Estrada, the only Philippine president ever arrested for graft, said he remained confident that "the truth will come out in the end."

The former leader who was forced to quit office amid a wave of popular street protests in January added that he believes he remains the legitimate leader of the Philippines and his arrest was part of a political conspiracy against him.

"As far as I'm concerned I'm still the duly elected president under our constitution," he told CNN from Philippine National Police Headquarters in Manila where he is being detained.

The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.

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Estrada arrest warrant issued
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Philippine Office of the Press Secretary

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