Former president Joseph “Erap” Estrada on Thursday filed a P20 million libel suit against businessman Alfonso Yuchengco and the Philippine Daily Inquirer for claiming in a news article that he pressured him to sell his two million shares of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) stocks to business tycoon Manuel Pangilinan during his term in Malacañang.

Clad in a blue polo shirt, Estrada also accused the Arroyo Administration of “playing footsies” with the camp of Senator Panfilo Lacson who made the alleged expose during a privilege speech in the Senate last Monday that the former president pressured Yuchengco to sell his stocks to Pangilinan some 11 years ago.

The article entitled: “ Erap bullied me, says Yuchengco” was published as banner story of the Philippine Daily Inquirer last September 16.

Accompanied by his legal counsel Atty. Jose Flaminiano, Estrada filed his five-page libel complaint before the Office of San Juan City prosecutor Tomas T. Ricarte Sr. Also present during the filing of the libel complaint were former senator Ernesto Maceda and San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito.

“Respondent Yuchengco’s statements imputing to me the commission of serious crimes are mere fabrications. I vehemently deny having committed any lawful or criminal act against respondent Yuchengco or the members of his family in relation to the sale made by the respondent Yuchengco of his PTIC (Philippine Telecommunications Company)/PLDT shares in favor of First Pacific,” Estrada said in his complaint.