A philippine court ordered the arrest of disgraced former president, Mr Joseph Estrada, yesterday after he surrendered himself to custody.
He was released on bail in advance of his trial on corruption charges. Toppled from the presidency in a "people power" revolt in January, Mr Estrada looked crestfallen as court officers took his fingerprints five times in a graphic demonstration of his long fall from grace.
"I am here with my lawyers. I will post bond," Mr Estrada, dressed in a national "barong" shirt, told a court sheriff before signing a paper signifying his voluntary surrender after the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court ordered his arrest.
"That comes as a matter of course," a presidential spokesman said, adding that Mr Estrada's posting of a small amount of bail meant he would not "spend a single night in jail".
The court issued two warrants for his arrest in connection with twin charges of graft and perjury which were among a total of eight criminal complaints filed against him by state prosecutors.
He has six other charges pending against him, one of which - economic plunder - is punishable by the death penalty.