Isko Moreno says Lim allows bingo games, too

Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno on Tuesday turned the tables on Mayor Alfredo Lim, who he said has allowed bingo games under his watch. In an interview on GMA News' “Unang Hirit,” Moreno (Francisco Domagoso in real life) showed a letter-proposal from the Community Chest Foundation for the Manila City Hall to handle a fund-raising activity for persons with disabilities using bingo. “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 read in the letter. Moreno, who was arrested Saturday night for holding a bingo game, said this constitutes a wager – one of the elements for a numbers game to be illegal. According to Presidential Decree 1602, illegal gambling should be a game of “chance or skill” with “wagers consisting of money, articles of value or representative of value” at stake. “May taya po eh. May P10 each,” said Moreno, adding that bingo is a long-standing game in Manila that police seem to ignore. Moreno is the running-mate of former President Joseph Estrada, who is challenging re-electionist Mayor Alfredo Lim in the May elections. Both Moreno and Estrada are accusing Lim of ordering Moreno's arrest. Lim, for his part, said bingo as fund-raising activity is legitimate as long as it is done as a “family affair” and not in a public place. “Eh 'yan ay fund-raising ng mga disabled persons 'di ba? Ang bingo, matagal nang ginagawa 'yan sa mga bahay ng mga housewife. Pinahihintulutan 'yan,” he said. Lim said the law on illegal numbers game – or Repubic Act 9287 – exempts bingo done as a family affair. “'Yung RA 9287 (nakasaad) 'dun na ang bingo... magiging exempted lang from the operation of the law kung family affair. Sa loob ng bahay. Katuwaan lang, nagpapalipas ng oras,” Lim said. “Pero pag ginagawa sa publiko, sa public place, nangungumbido sila ng mga tao at sinasabi nila diumano dalawang libo raw na tao ang naroon, aba'y violation na 'yan,” he added. Moreno and five city councilors — Ernesto Isip Jr., Joel Chua, Ma. Asuncion Fugoso, Yul Servo Nieto, and former councilor Manuel Zarcal — were arrested Saturday for allegedly running a bingo operation. They were released early Sunday for lack of evidence. According to Republic Act 9287, illegal numbers game constitute “any form illegal gambling activity which uses numbers or combinations thereof as factors in giving out jackpots.” Lim said bingo is part of the illegal gambling game. 'Dirty tricks' Estrada said Moreno's arrest was part of Lim's “dirty tricks” against his rivals in the election. “Ang dami pang nasaktan na mga tao, pati mga konsehal. Pinaaresto mo. Hindi pwedeng gagawin ng pulis kung hindi may order ka,” he told Lim. Lim denied the accusations. “Kasinungalingan 'yan. Sanay kayo sa pagsisinungaling eh. Niloloko niyo ang tao.” He added that the police as a national body cannot follow illegal orders from the local government. “Ang pulis hindi pwedeng sumunod sa unlawful and illegal order. Ewan ko. Nung mayor siya, kahit iligal baka pinasusunod niya sa mga pulis niya,” Lim said, referring to Estrada's stint as San Juan mayor. 'Biro lang' On reports that Estrada allegedly fought with police officials when he went to the precinct which contained Moreno and five others, the former president merely said in jest: “Biro lang 'yun. Baka magkatotoo.” According to an account by Chief Inspector Ed Morata, Estrada reportedly bumped him as he was being interviewed and said during the inquest proceedings: “If you don’t tell the truth, you’ll be on your way out in just three months after I become mayor.” Superintendent Ricardo Layug Jr. of the Manila Police District backed this up, saying Estrada punched Morata on his side. “During the inquest proceeding... habang tinatanong po si Inspector Morata, sinusuntok po siya sa tagiliran dun sa kamay niya ni President Erap Pagkatapos naman po ito's nawitness naman po ni Fiscal (Elaine Yarra-)Cerezo kaya po pinagpalit sila ng lugar,” Layug said. Inquest Division Chief Elaine Yarra-Cerezo, interviewed by GMA News TV, said there was no such incident during the proceedings. “I haven't witnessed that during the inquest proceedings. Although may palitan ng mga tanong at salita, pero walang ganung pangyayari. And I will not allow that to happen here,” Cerezo said. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab/KBK, GMA News