News Briefs: Another GMA coaccused acquitted in PCSO plunder case

The Sandiganbayan has acquitted one of the last remaining codefendants of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) plunder case, just six months after surrendering to authorities.

In a 44-page resolution dated March 30, the court’s First Division granted the Jan. 16 demurrer filed by former PCSO board member Ma. Fatima Valdes for insufficiency of prosecution evidence.

In dismissing the case against Valdes, the court cited its April 6, 2015 resolution granting the demurrer of her fellow PCSO board members Manuel Morato, Raymundo Roquero and Jose Taruc V, as well as former Commission on Audit head Reynaldo Villar.

“Considering that accused Valdes, Morato, Roquero and Taruc were all members of the Board of Directors of the PCSO and are similarly charged of the same offense, and considering further that accused Morato, Roquero and Taruc had been acquitted in this case, the court has no choice but to acquit accused Valdes as well,” read the resolution penned by Justice Efren N. de la Cruz.—Vince F. Nonato

3 fugitive South Koreans arrested

Authorities have arrested three South Koreans wanted in their home country, including a man who allegedly swindled his compatriots of more than $5 million. Interpol had issued red notices for the three and coordinated their arrests with the police and the immigration bureau, said Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa.

Among the three is 32-year-old Yong Ho Jeon, who was arrested March 25 in his rented condominium in Manila after hiding for two years.

A South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for him on fraud charges. He allegedly belongs to a group that established a call center in South Korea that extorted money from people applying for bank loans.

The group allegedly collected 6 billion won ($5.4 million) from the victims.

A couple also wanted was arrested last Wednesday in Benguet province. A Seoul court has issued arrest warrants for Yang Sum and Yang Myung Ock Yeo for three counts of fraud, Dela Rosa said.—AP

DOTr reports improved MRT3 operations

Despite several breakdowns of the Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) last week, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) claimed on Monday that “improved train operations and maintenance” have increased ridership during the first eight months of the Duterte administration.

In an advisory on Monday, the DOTr said that an average of 463,202 passengers rode the MRT-3 daily from July last year to March compared to only an average of 379,223 passengers from July 2015 to June 2016.

The DOTr earlier boasted that it also increased by more than a third the number of trains servicing the public during rush hour.

From an average of 13.89 trains from July 2015 to June 2016, the DOTr deployed an average of 18.61 trains from July last year to March.— Jovic Yee

Retired police general acquitted of SALN perjury

The Sandiganbayan has acquitted a former high-ranking official of the Philippine National Police of perjury charges for allegedly misdeclaring his outstanding liabilities for the years 1998 to 2003.

In a 25-page decision on March 27, the court’s Fourth Division said state prosecutors failed to prove the guilt of retired Police Chief Supt. Danilo Mangila beyond reasonable doubt.

The antigraft court gave credence to Mangila’s claim that his secretary made an “honest mistake” in preparing his six successive Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

The Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices accused Mangila of falsely claiming he had an outstanding P4.448 million housing loan with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), when “in truth and in fact, he had none.”

GSIS records did show that Mangila only availed of a P56,574 housing loan for a property in Lagro Subdivision in Quezon City in 1978. The loan was fully paid.—Vince F. Nonato