OMB exec denies involvement in return of pirated DVDs, VCDs to raided firm

The executive director of the Optical Media Board (OMB) has denied involvement in the return of confiscated pirated DVDs and CVDs to its alleged owner.

 

In a chance interview after he posted P30,000 bail before the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division, OMB Executive Director Cyrus Paul Valenzuela maintained that the Office of the Ombudsman erred in including him in a graft complaint filed against OMB Chairman Ronnie Ricketts and three other OMB officials.

 

“I was never part of that operation… I believe that I should have never been made as respondent in this case.” Valenzuela said.

 

In a graft complaint filed by the Office of the Ombudsman with Sandiganbayan last month, Ricketts and the other respondents were accused of “conspiring” with each other in “giving unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference" to private company Sky High Marketing Corporation.

'I was out of the office'

 

Based on the complaint, personnel from the OMB led by Ricketts, confiscated tons of pirated DVDs and VCDs from Sky High Marketing building in Quezon City on May 27, 2010.

 

In the afternoon of the same day, however, the OMB "released and reloaded into the corporation's vehicle" the confiscated items instead of filing the appropriate charges against the company.

 

Valenzuela, however, maintained that aside from not being part of the operation to seize the pirated DVDs and VCDs from Sky High, he also had no participation returning the truck, which was later found to be carrying the seized items.

 

“I think Chairman Ricketts never denied that it was he who ordered that…and based on the complaint of the ombudsman, the agent who had that truck removed out from the office was questioned by the (OMB) Admin Division which is my division, and his answer was, he was instructed by the chairman (Ricketts),” Valenzuela said.

 

Valenzuela, however, admitted that he was also asked by the OMB personnel if the truck can already be returned to Sky High on that day, to which he said replied in the affirmative.

 

“As far as my participation goes, I was asked early on if they can return the truck na nagdala ng confiscated items sa office. And I asked them (OMB personnel) if the truck was part of the seized items, I was not part of the operation, so hindi ko alam. They said ‘no’, so I said walang problema sa pagsauli nung truck,” Valenzuela said.

 

Valenzuela said that he was already out of the office when the truck left the OMB premises.

 

“Yung first allegation ng ombudsman, I was there during the incident. In my defense, I showed them a copy of the logbook that I was already out of the office at the time of the incident. And then they came up with a subsequent resolution stating na the mere fact that I am the executive director, I should have known about that,” Valenzuela said.

 

“Hindi naman yata tama yung ganun… Dapat mas binubusisi nila ang imbestigasyon at hindi lahat sinasama,” Valenzuela added.

 

Valenzuela posted bail after the court found probable cause to hold him, Ricketts, OMB Enforcement and Inspection Division (EID) head Manuel Mangubat, EID investigation agent Joseph Arnaldo, and EID computer operator Glenn Perez, on trial.

 

Valenzuela’s arraignment for the case is scheduled on Aug. 13, while the arraignment of Ricketts and the three other OMB officials is set for July 23. — JDS, GMA News