QC court recalls arrest warrant vs Morato

MANILA, Philippines - A Quezon City court handling the electioneering charges against former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) chairman Manuel Morato has recalled an open court order directing the issuance of an arrest warrant for Morato.

In a one-page order released to the media yesterday, Judge Aurora Hernandez-Calledo of the Regional Trial Court Branch 87 recalled the order in view of the manifestation of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which said that Morato’s failure to attend his arraignment Tuesday was due to the late receipt of the court’s earlier order.

“The open court order dictated by the court to the stenographer ordering the cancellation of the cash bond and issuance of warrant of arrest is recalled and set aside,” said the order.

According to the NBI manifestation signed by head agent Palmer Mallari, they were not able to bring Morato to the court because they only received the court order on the day of the arraignment.

“Preparations for his escort-security in court hearings take considerable time considering his health condition,” Mallari said.

Morato is currently under hospital arrest at the St. Luke’s Medical Center for a separate plunder charge filed before the Sandiganbayan First Division.

He is facing four counts of electioneering charges filed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) over his alleged use of his public affairs program “Dial M” on NBN-4 and IBC-13 in 2010 to campaign for then presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro and his running mate, actor Edu Manzano.

The former PCSO chairman has since claimed that there is no probable cause to file charges against him because he was only exercising his right to free speech.

His arraignment was reset to Feb. 26.