Sandiganbayan allows Ronnie Ricketts' trip to Japan

The Sandiganbayan has allowed former Optical Media Board chairman Ronnie Ricketts to travel to Tokyo, Japan, for eight days next month ahead of the promulgation of judgment in his graft case.

The Fourth Division granted Ricketts' motion for leave to travel abroad from March 1 to 9. The former actor, through his lawyers, had said he intends to travel to Japan "to vacation with his wife and children and take advantage of the free time of his children."

Ricketts said the trip has been planned since December last year, with their itineraries including city tours, shopping, visit museums and tourist spots.

Ricketts assured the Sandiganbayan that he will return to the country and is willing to submit an additional travel bond for the Japan trip to push through.

The Sandiganbayan is set to hand out the verdict against Rickkets in his graft case on March 15. 

The graft charge stemmed from the alleged mishandling of seized pirated DVDs and VCDs during his term as OMB chair.

Ricketts allegedly gave undue benefit to Sky High Marketing Corporation when the OMB confiscated tons of pirated compact discs in its Quezon City building on May 27, 2010. —KBK, GMA News