Ronnie Ricketts faces graft charge

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MANILA — Optical Media Board (OMB) chair Ronnie Ricketts is now facing a graft charge filed by the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly allowing seized pirated DVDs to be pulled out.

The pulled-out copies should have served as evidence against suspected counterfeiters.

Investigators from the Ombudsman said that Ricketts ordered the confiscation of the said pirated DVDs (digital video discs) and VCDs (video compact discs) only to have it withdrawn.

The board seized a total of 127 boxes and two sacks of pirated DVDs and VCDs including a video recording human I.

P.C.

Three Chinese nationals were also arrested during the raid in Quiapo Manila on May 2010.

This, according to  the Ombudsman in the charge filed before the Sandiganbayan, gave unfair preference to Sky High Marketing Corp, which was not sued for the seizure.

The Ombudsman described the incident as “detriment of public interest.

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“(The accused), while in the performance of their official functions as such, taking advantage thereof and committing the offense in relation to office, did then and there willfully, unlawfully and criminally give unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference to Sky High Marketing Corp. thru manifest partiality, evident bad faith, or gross inexcusable negligence,” the Ombudsman said.