Sandiganbayan grants Morato’s bid for hospital arrest

FORMER PCSO chair Manuel “Manoling” Morato. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The Sandiganbayan has granted the motion of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board member Manuel Morato to be placed under hospital arrest.

Morato is one of the co-accused in the P366-million plunder case in connection with the PCSO intelligence fund scam. One of his co-accused in this case is former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The anti-graft court said Morato will be confined at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City under the supervision of the National Bureau of Investigation.

He would pay for all his medical expenses, the court said.

Morato’s motion was granted after he submitted a medical certificate from his attending physician Dr. Maria Adelaide Iboleon-Dy.

Based on the medical certificate dated October 25, Dr. Dy told the anti-graft court that Morato underwent an open heart surgery, triple bypass with aortic valve replacement with a prosthetic valve on Oct. 22.

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