Appeals court junks jai alai suit vs De Lima, Robredo

The Court of Appeals has dismissed the petition filed by a jai-alai operator to cite Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo for indirect contempt for cracking down on its jai-alai betting operations.

The appellate court’s former Special 6th Division dismissed the petition of Meridien Vista Gaming Corp., saying that De Lima and Robredo did not defy the tribunal’s injunction because they were going after operators of jueteng, the illegal numbers game.

No defiance

“In the present case, the assailed acts of respondents do not constitute disobedience to, or defiance of, the writ of preliminary injunction, a lawful writ issued by this court,” the tribunal said.

“Their act of apprehending Meridien’s employees who were then involved in illegal jueteng operations and the consequent seizure of the jueteng paraphernalia are not the acts enjoined by said writ. Respondents thus did not commit any act amounting to indirect contempt,” it added.

Doing their duty

De Lima and Robredo had informed the court that they were only doing their duty when they apprehended Meridien employees because they were caught participating in jueteng operations.

They said a confidential informant had informed the authorities about the involvement of Meridien employees in jueteng operations at Cainging village, Maragondon, Cavite which were raided on Sept. 30, 2011.

Meridien earlier complained that De Lima and Robredo violated the tribunal’s preliminary injunction which enjoined the justice and interior departments from implementing a joint memorandum that adversely affected the company.

Originally posted: 7:00 pm | Tuesday, March 13th, 2012