LIMA, Peru - Peru's President Alejandro Toledo was questioned by legislators on Wednesday investigating whether his party, with his blessing, forged thousands of signatures to register for elections in 2000.

Toledo finally agreed to talk to the lawmakers after causing an outcry earlier this month by ducking out of a planned meeting because he refused to have it recorded, and instead giving a television interview denying everything.

A string of government corruption scandals has battered Toledo's credibility and polls show most Peruvians believe allegations that his party faked signatures to get on the ballot, that his sister ran a "forgery factory", that Toledo knew about it and that he even participated by paying forgers.

A police report found 78 percent of the signatures were false and the issue has become the most serious scandal of Toledo's presidency, which ends in July 2006.

After days of wrangling, Toledo agreed to let stenographers transcribe his testimony. He and the members of the congressional investigating commission are to sign a final document attesting to the accuracy of what was recorded.

Victor Velarde, one of the commission members, told Reuters he wished he could take along a lie detector.

"It would be a good thing if the president didn't tell us a single lie ... We hope he tells the whole truth," he added.

Velarde said he believed Toledo's refusal to be recorded was because he was "worried we might catch out some lies."

He added: "I think he's nervous. He's got a lot of answers to give the country."

Under Peru's constitution, a sitting president can only be charged with treason for preventing elections or dissolving Congress. Toledo has taken that to mean he is exempt from the signatures investigation, but lawmakers say he has at least a moral duty to clear up the scandal.

The commission- which has no power to conduct a criminal investigation- is expected to issue its findings in May.

Toledo, whom polls show has a nationwide approval rating of just 8 percent, has lurched from crisis to crisis.

He denied then was forced to admit he had a daughter outside marriage; seven ministers have quit over corruption allegations; a former aide is in jail on charges of bribing judges; and 19 of Toledo's relatives are being investigated for graft. His sister is under house arrest in the signature case.

Opposition congressman Rafael Rey says he has compared the 1.3 million signatures presented with the civil registry and found only 6 percent were legitimate- and even Toledo's had been faked.