Judge asked to inhibit from Rasuman case

MANILA, Philippines - Government prosecutors have asked a Cagayan de Oro City judge to inhibit from the syndicated estafa case filed against Jachob “Coco” Rasuman, the alleged brains behind the P300-million pyramiding scam that victimized residents in Lanao provinces.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) panel, headed by senior assistant state prosecutor Edna Valenzuela, wanted Judge Bonifacio Macabaya to inhibit from the Rasuman case for allegedly showing bias in favor of the accused.

In a motion filed last May 29, the panel said they could not expect to get a fair trial and justice from Macabaya.

The prosecution team also asked the court to defer the arraignment of Princess Allah Tomawis, wife of Rasuman, which was set today.

The couple is currently detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) detention cell in Manila.

The prosecutors said that four of the scam victims – Naim Sampao, Abu-Amar Sambitory, Mangoda Tagoranao, and Yusoph Paito – have filed a graft complaint against Macabaya and sheriff Celestial Gilbolingo before the Office of the Ombudsman.

The complainants accused Macabaya and Gilbolingo of violating the provisions of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, as they noted the granting of Princess’ petition to be transferred from the Pasay City jail to the NBI detention facility, and the dismissal of the case filed against Sultan Yahya “Jerry” Tomawis, another respondent in the case.

 They said Macabaya granted Princess’ petition without informing the prosecutors and the complainants, and recalled the warrants of arrest issued against all the accused despite a request from the panel to suspend the proceedings, and a motion to defer the implementation of the warrant filed by Jerry.

The complainants said Macabaya deferred the implementation of Jerry’s arrest warrant without giving the DOJ panel the chance to participate in the hearing of the motion.

In November last year, the DOJ recommended the filing of syndicated estafa charges against Rasuman; his father, former public works undersecretary Bashir Dimaampo Rasuman, and nine others.

The case stemmed from the complaints filed by 25 victims, led by Sambitory, who claimed that the respondents lured them to invest in their networking company with a promise that their money would earn 85 percent to 150 percent interest within a short period of time.

The respondents were said to have collected from the victims a total of P120 million, which when calculated within the terms of the scheme, would yield close to P300 million in two months.