MANILA -- Two more Philippine senators distanced themselves from President Joseph Estrada on Tuesday by taking "leave of absence" from his political coalition as the Senate prepared to try the former movie actor on corruption charges.
Senators Gregorio Honasan and Teresa Aquino Oreta said in a joint statement they were taking leave to ensure the credibility of Estrada's impeachment trial, which is expected to start early next month.
"We have decided on (this) course of action to ensure the credibility of the impeachment process and the Senate," Honasan and Oreta said, citing public concerns that senators supporting Estrada would vote to acquit him regardless of the evidence at the impeachment trial.
Seven other senators belonging to Estrada's 14-member coalition have bolted the alliance. Their defections and the decision of Honasan and Oreta to take a leave from the coalition reduced to a precarious five the number of senators still actively in the alliance.
A two-thirds vote in the 22-member Senate -- or 15 senators - are needed to convict and remove Estrada from office. He needs eight to win acquittal.
(Reuter)