Sandigan asked to suspend Ricketts, 3 deputies

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan was asked yesterday to order the preventive suspension of chairman Ronnie Ricketts and three other officials of the Optical Media Board (OMB).

Ricketts, Enforcement and Inspection Division chief Manuel Mangubat, investigation agent Joseph Arnaldo and computer operator Glenn Perez must be suspended pending litigation to prevent them from possibly influencing witnesses and tampering  evidence, according to prosecutors from the Office of the Ombudsman.

“Considering the nature of the indictment and the validity of the information filed against the accused, their suspension pendente lite are mandatory under the premises,” prosecutors said in their motion.

Section 13 of Republic Act 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, makes it mandatory for such suspension to be issued,  prosecutors said.

“Any incumbent public officer against whom any criminal prosecution under a valid information under this Act or under Title Seven Book II of the Revised Penal Code or for any offense involving fraud upon government or public funds or property whether as a simple or as complex offense and in whatever stage of execution and mode of participation, is pending in court shall be suspended from office,” they quoted the provision of the law.

During arraignment last week, Rickets and his co-accused pleaded not guilty to charges of graft.

They are accused of releasing 127 boxes and two sacks of seized pirated digital video discs and video compact discs and a video recording machine to the owner following a raid in May 2010.