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MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Prosecutor’s Office will not handle any case involving Manila Vice Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso to shield it from “extreme pressures” and “partisan politics.”
Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila de Lima said on Tuesday, February 19 that any case filed in relation to Moreno’s arrest on February 17 for alleged illegal gambling will be transferred instead to the DOJ main office.
Moreno said he will file a case against the policemen who arrested him and councilors Ernesto Isip Jr., Joel Chua, Ma. Asuncion Fugoso, Yul Servo Nieto, and former councilor Manuel Zarcal on February 17.
The police arrested them on grounds that bingo is considered a form of illegal gambling under Presidential Decree 1902. Moreno said however that they have been holding games for 5 years and have never been arrested before, adding PD 102 has been amended already by Republic Act 9287 or the Anti-Illegal Gambling law.
Moreno was released on February 17 after Manila’s Chief Inquest Prosecutor Elaine Yarra-Cerezo said there is insufficient evidence to charge him with illegal gambling.
Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim said he plans to file a poll violation case against Moreno because the bingo cards bear the latter’s name and that of his running mate, former President Joseph Estrada. Estrada is running against Lim for the mayoral post in the 2013 elections.
Lim is from the Liberal Party, while Estrada and Moreno are part of the ticket of the United Nationalist Alliance. Lim has denied that he ordered Moreno’s arrest. – Rappler.com
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