Ex-President Estrada to Face Trial in October

Former Philippine President Joseph Estrada was ordered to stand trial in October on perjury charges, and he will testify in his own defense against the corruption charges that led to his ouster, his lawyers said.

Estrada will tell the anti-graft court that he never lied about his assets and that he did not hold interests in 55 companies, as prosecutors allege, defense lawyers said.

Estrada also faces a charge of plunder, a capital offense. Prosecutors said they will prove in the trial, scheduled to start Oct. 29, that Estrada lied when he declared net assets of $648,000 in 1999 and that he actually had more than $33.4 million.