Estrada associate guilty of graft

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A close associate of former Philippine President Joseph Estrada has been sentenced to at least two years and four months in jail for corruption.

Charlie "Atong" Ang was also fined 25m pesos ($500,000) by the Manila court.

Ang confessed to helping Mr Estrada divert money generated from tobacco taxes for his own personal use - a charge which the former leader denies.

Mr Estrada himself is currently awaiting a verdict in his own long-running plunder trial.

He was arrested shortly after being ousted by a popular revolt in January 2001, and faces charges of illegally acquiring tens of millions of dollars from state funds and gambling rackets.

His trial ended in August and judges are expected to deliver their verdict at some point later this year.

Reduced charges

Ang was arrested in the US, but last November he was extradited to the Philippines to face corruption charges.

In common with Mr Estrada - once a close ally - he was initially charged with plunder.

But the charges against him were reduced after he agreed to testify for the state.

Mr Estrada insists he is innocent of all the charges against him, and he has previously dismissed Ang's testimony as part of a government campaign to discredit the political opposition, ahead of congressional elections in May 2007.