Philippine anti-graft court on Wednesday found former President Joseph Estrada guilty of the crime of plunder and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

Estrada thus became the first Philippine president in history to be convicted of a crime.

The Sandiganbayan anti-graft court also ordered the fining of 542 million pesos (US$11.7 million) from a foundation set up by the former president, as well as 189 million pesos (US$4.1 million) from a real property project owned by him.

Presiding Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro said Estrada could continue staying at his private rest house in Tanay, Rizal province east to Manila, where he had been living under house arrest since 2004.

She said Estrada was convicted beyond reasonable doubt of plunder. The government prosecutors accused him of plundering some 4 billion pesos (US$86 million) through bribes and kickbacks during his presidency from 1998 to early 2001.

The Malacanang presidential palace said after the verdict the government respected the verdict but hoped to turn a page.

Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the government "bows to the decision of the Sandiganbayan and hopes and prays that the rule of law will prevail."

"Meantime, we have a country to run, an economy to grow, and a peace to win. We hope that this sad episode in our history will not permanently distract us from these goals," he said.

The former president himself cried foul and said the decision of the Sandiganbayan to convict him of plunder was a "political decision."

"As expected, this Special Division was created to convict me," Estrada said when he was leaving the courtroom under police escort.

"What is important is the support of the people, and they have overwhelmingly acquitted me. This is a political decision," he said.

Estrada was in the meantime acquitted of perjury.

The authorities deployed thousands of riot police and soldiers around the Sandiganbayan court in Quezon City, as thousands of supporters of the former president had gathered there to protest.

The guilty verdict was widely anticipated by the local media. The local daily Philippine Star said on Wednesday the government must exercise tolerance to avoid violence if the supporters of Estrada stage protests.

(Xinhua News Agency September 12, 2007)