MANILA The two sons of embattled Philippine President Joseph Estrada told the Senate on Saturday they had never received pay-offs from gambling bosses.
"I never received even a single cent from Jueteng...I don't even know how to play the game," Jinggoy Estrada, mayor of the Manila suburb San Juan, said.
Younger brother Jude also denied the allegations.
Jinggoy and jude testified at the Senate, which is probing allegations their father and members of his family received money from gambling bosses running an illegal numbers game called "Jueteng." Opposition lawmakers have started impeachment proceedings against Estrada who has denied the charges and refused to step down in what has become the biggest crisis of his 28 months in office.
Provincial governor Luis "Chavit" Singson has accused President Estrada of receiving 414 million pesos ($8.7 million) in pay-offs from gambling syndicates.
He also submitted papers to the Senate listing the names of Estrada's sons as among the beneficiaries of Jueteng proceeds.
President Estrada says the accusations are a "political hatchet job" by his opponents.
(Reuter)