MANILA, Philippines?The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan has finally ordered the long-delayed auction of the P142.9-million so-called "Boracay Mansion" it had earlier declared to be part of the ill-gotten wealth of convicted plunderer former President Joseph Estrada.

In a resolution, the Sandiganbayan Special Division directed Chief Sheriff Edgardo Urieta to proceed with the public auction by following court procedures "to further proceed with the sale of the subject property to the highest bidder in a manner and within the period provided for by law."

Urieta said the auction is temporarily scheduled on the last week of January 2010.

The court ordered the forfeiture of the 7,145 square-meter property right after it convicted the former president for plunder in September 2007.

The prosecution alleged that money from the Jose Velarde account was used to pay for the property at No. 100, 11th Street, Barangay Mariana, New Manila in Quezon City.

But the public auction was stalled after the Quezon City government claimed ownership of the property after its registered owner, St. Peter's Holdings, failed to pay real property tax.

There was no mention of this claim in the court's resolution released last week, however.

In a report dated March 14, 2007, the Sandiganbayan described the mansion to have been "totally damaged, vandalized and not anymore livable."