Alfredo Lim: Orders vs gambling in Manila for all, not against Isko

Mayor Alfredo Lim admitted he did give out directives to arrest those playing bingo in Manila, but denied singling out the arrest of his former ally, Vice Maroy Isko Moreno, for conducting the alleged illegal numbers game.

 

“D'yan ba si pinirmahan ko, may nakalagay 'dun na 'Arrest Isko Moreno and five councilors?” Eh maliwanag 'dun kaysa sa sikat ng araw 'yun eh,” Lim said in an interview on GMA News' Unang Balita.

 

At a press briefing on Tuesday, Moreno presented a handwritten note supposedly bearing Lim's signature giving directives to "disseminate info that bingo is gambling" and that "appropriate actions should be taken." The note was dated January 26 – or less than a month before Moreno (Francisco Domagoso in real life) and five city councilors were arrested for allegedly running a bingo operation. They were released a day later for lack of evidence.

 

Moreno also presented a supposed memorandum allegedly signed by Lim's chief-of-staff giving the order to ban bingo games in Manila to the police and barangay officials.

 

"Bakit hindi siya nag-order na arestuhin din ang video karera at ang bookies? Bakit bingo lang? Alam niyo kung bakit? Reaction niya lang iyon sa ginagawa namin for so many years," said Moreno, who is seeking re-election but this time, alongside former President Joseph Estrada. 

 

Both documents, however, did not specify Moreno and the other councilors' names. 

 

 

Moreno's arrest was seen as Lim's dirty tactics against his opponents. Lim has accused Moreno's camp of politicizing the incident.

 

Lim, who is seeking re-election, admitted signing the document but said the directive was an order against gamblers in Manila.

 

“Sinabi ko ang bingo ay illegal gambling. Kaya the Manila Police Department can take appropriate actions. Para sa kalahatan 'yan. Di naman namin alam na February 16 magpapabingo itong sina vice mayor. Eh hindi naman tayo manghuhula,” he said.

 

Asked if the police have arrested people for gambling before Moreno's arrest, Lim said: “Hindi ko masasagot 'yan kung mayroon.”

 

Presidential Decree 1602, which punishes illegal gambling, lists bingo as one of the prohibited acts. However, Republic Act 9287, which imposes stiffer penalties on illegal numbers games, does not ban bingo. Moreno earlier claimed that the bingo game he held in Manila is not covered by the law, since it did not include any wager. Elections chief Sixto Brillantes Jr. earlier said Moreno did not commit an election offense since he held the bingo game before the start of the local campaign period. Compelling proof

 

Lim said he has yet to hear compelling proof that he ordered Moreno's arrest for political reasons.

 

“Talagang hanggang ngayon, hinahamon ko sila kung meron silang maipapakita na utos ko na arestuhin sila,” he said.

 

Lim had vowed to resign if Estrada's camp can prove that he had a hand in Moreno's arrest.

 

Asked about his supposed approval of a fund-raising activity through gambling by a certain Community Chest Foundation, Lim said he had not signed the proposal.

 

Moreno's camp has also been using the foundation's proposal to prove that Lim had let bingo go unwatched in Manila. '“In line with this, the foundation as part of a fund-raising activity plans to send 50 bingo cards at P10 each for a total of P500 each barangay,” Moreno had read in the letter. Lim said the Manila barangay bureau chief Anna Buan approved the proposal because the foundation secured an authorization from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

 

“Eh hindi ko nga alam 'yun eh. Tinanong ko si Anna Buan 'yung chief ng barangay bureau: 'Ano ba itong binigay mo ng permiso?' Ang sabi sa akin, 'Sinabi raw sa kanila na authorized raw ng PAGCOR 'yun kaya inaksyunan na niya,” he said. — with Marc Jayson Cayabyab/RSJ, GMA News