The Philippines anti-graft court ordered detained former leader Joseph Estrada to face court on Thursday on an economic plunder charge punishable by death or life imprisonment.
The Monday court order came as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo averted a confrontation with tens of thousands of the former movie idol's followers who had gathered at a Manila religious shrine since his arrest last Wednesday.
The anti-graft Sandiganbayan court ordered Estrada and his son Jinggoy to appear at a pre-trial hearing on Thursday to formally answer charges ranging from graft to perjury and economic plunder.
Estrada, who was ousted by Arroyo in a January "people's power" revolt, is being held at a police camp but is due to be moved to a maximum security detention centre later on Monday.
His supporters began dispersing earlier on Monday after the military went on full alert. The Estrada supporters have demanded Arroyo step down so he can be reinstated.
(China Daily 04/30/2001)
