Ex-PCSO chair Morato to Belmonte: I have documents to back up claims over ancestral home

Former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) chair Manuel "Manoling" Morato on Tuesday hit back at Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte over the libel complaint filed by the local government official against him. 

The libel complaint stemmed from an article quoting Morato and alleging the vice mayor of giving a special permit for the construction of a 21-storey building on a property his family previously owned and that would supposedly be favorable to her siblings.

In an e-mail to GMA News Online, Morato insisted his claims are backed up by documents. "Puwede ba mademanda ang taong nagsasabi ng totoo? Bawal ba mag-sabi ng katotohanan?" he said.

"I am prepared with all the documents including deeds of sale that the Belmontes bought my parents ancestral home and three lots to build a 21-storey condo hotel in a residential area inside our family compound," Morato added.

"My lawyers turned over the documents to me that my parents' ancestral home was acquired by the Belmontes. They are trying to hide it from us. They helped my brother transfer the titles of my parents’ ancestral home to my youngest brother who then sold the property to the Belmontes," Morato said.

Belmonte slapped Morato and nine publishers of a tabloid newspaper with a libel case over the allegedly "factually incorrect and malicious" article.

Belmonte denied the allegation, noting that she cannot unilaterally pass a resolution as vice mayor of Quezon City.

Morato called Belmonte as "somebody who got drunk of power," adding that there is a law prohibiting public officials from giving favor to family members up to the third or fourth degree of consanguinity.

"But what Joy did is help her first degree relatives. My question is: who started it all? They did out of greed," Morato said.

Belmonte has said the article was published out of "monetary gain, political clout, or false prestige."

Meanwhile, the tabloid that published the article has already released an official statement regarding the issue, standing by its position. — with Dona Magsino/MDM, GMA News